Dyeing the Damask

[janestarz]

Remember last market haul I brought home a piece of damask of 150x150 cm? It's just enough to get a jacket out of, but in truth it's for a gothic skirt. Seeing how this damask was 100% cotton, I expected a result like Violently Violet - a perfect black damask. After all, the satin-woven bits will shimmer and shine, and the regular woven threads will form the pattern in it.

I have not been lied to by market merchants for a while now, mostly because I always go to Piet Megens from Oss, who is proud of his business and does burn-test when you don't believe him a fabric is really silk, or cotton, or whatever. So when I bought this 100% cotton damask, I thought, 'hey, 100% cotton is dyeable! Let's dye it black and make a real nifty gothic skirt out of it!'

And here are the results...

damask Hosted on Zooomr

Not quite the desired effect indeed. It is really gorgeous, though, and I will still make a gothic skirt out of this. I'm also seeing possible applications for Elizabethan doublets, pattern-matched corsets, and really funky pants (dye them magenta, and you're outta here!). The picture doesn't quite capture the sheen of the satin bits, but all in all, I love the silver effect it has.

If anyone wants to order, I can probably get it at six euro per meter (undyed) for you. *wink*

Comments

[steelweaver.livejournal.com]

Been there, done that. I have almost exactly the same pattern in cream and light brick red/coral pink now. Sometimes they're just clueless, sometimes they sell a mix as a one-fiber fabric to rip you off. Good thing you found out though, it might give you some bargaining power and you won't be misinforming your customers. I'd recommend rewashing the fabric until you're sure the shadow of dye on the light parts won't fade. Then you get to have fun finding out the possibilities:)

Did you want to receive your 1337 custom made belt soon?

[janestarz.livejournal.com]

I don't think you'll be at Ravenskeep, and before that I probably only will have time either tomorrow later in the afternoon, or not at all. I'll be accompanying my father to Meppel to pick up my Grandmother, and we might or might not be back in the city around two. I have to go into the city for a specific colour of bias tape they didn't have anymore at Matson's, so if you want to have a coffee around fourish?
And could you bring the belt, or is it way not done yet?

Ow, and the back clasp is fine (for the belt) I don't have any other brilliant ideas any more. It was an addiction, but I managed to do a Cold Turkey.

[tommycee.livejournal.com]

gorgeous fabric...

woooow.

[janestarz.livejournal.com]

Remember, you can dye this any colour you want...only the background will not absorb colour, just a tinge of it. This is just silver with black, if you were to dye it purple you'd get a lilac sheen in the satin bits, and purple shapes.
And since it's mostly cotton you can get anything you want out of this: pants, dresses, tablecloths.

me like

[ningyomatsuri.livejournal.com]

prr like the fabric...especially because the pattern is now in different shades of grey/black. It makes it really special.

[medvssa.livejournal.com]

Oooooooooh I found it! via your Zooomr album thingie :D LOVELY fabric! Any chance I could buy some from you? pretty please! ^^