Download pdf - How to dye buttons and Lift one button out with a fork or ... · Sublimation dying generally requires heat, pressure and duration to set the colour, so when printing a synthetic tshirt,

HowtodyeButtons1

WrittenbyTraceyNuthall:CostumeswithoutDrama 1

HowtodyebuttonsandplasticobjectsusingfabricdyeButtonscanmakeorbreakacostume.Didyouknowhoweasyitistodyebuttons?Theprocessissimple:infact,itiseasierthandyingfabric.Startwithplainwhitebuttons(youmayalsousetranslucentbuttons)Dyingsyntheticsinvolvesadifferentprocesstodyingnaturalproducts.Sublimationdyingincorporatesthedyerightintothestructureofthefibres/plastic,meaningthatthecolourslastlonger,andremainstable–weallknowthatacottongarmentwillfadewhenlaundered,syntheticsandtheircolourslastforever(Whichispartoftheoverallproblem,really,butthatisanotherstory)Sublimationdyinggenerallyrequiresheat,pressureanddurationtosetthecolour,sowhenprintingasynthetictshirt,thedyeisprintedontotransferpaperinreverse,andpressedontothetshirtwithheatandpressure,forasetperiodoftime.Dyingfabricusuallyinvolvesputtingthegarmentintoacontainerorpotandheatingoverastove,inamicrowaveoronahotwashingmachinesetting.Thewashingmachineonaverylonghotcyclegivesagreatresultusuallywithanevenfinish.ButtonsuseVERYLITTLEdyeandcanbedyedinacup.Simplymixequalquantitiesofliquiddye,vinegarandwaterinacup(10-15mlofeachwouldsuffice)addthebuttonsandplaceinmicrowaveforthirtysecondsthenwait30seconds.

Liftonebuttonoutwithaforkorspoonandcheckfortheintensityofcolour.Ifitisn’tdarkenoughheatandwaitanothercoupleoftimes(Ifindabout3X30secondsgivesagoodrichcolour.Ifitstillisn’tdarkenoughaddsomemoredyetothecupandrepeattheheatingandstandinguntilthecolourisattained.Oncethecorrectcolourhasbeenreached,liftthebutton/soutoftheliquidandrinseunderwater.Drywithatowel.DoneIfitistoodark,youcannotgoback,soitisstronglyrecommendedthatyoustartwithaweakersolutionandgraduallyaddmoredye.Intheoryfromstarttofinishitcantakelessthan5minutes.Thedyebathinacupmaybeusedformultiplebuttonsinonego,orbatchesoneafteranother.Thedyecolourwillgraduallybecomeweaker,soaddmoredyeconcentrateifnecessary.Don’tforget,differentproportionsofdye,vinegarandwatermaychangethecolourslightlysobatchcoloursmayvary.(Quiteabitofthewaterevaporatesaspartofthemicrowaveprocess.)Youcanthen‘valueadd’yourdyingprocessandcreateacontrastpatternbystickingcutpiecesofstickingtape,Iused‘electrical’insulatingtapeinthisinstance,whichworkedverywell.Ifyouneedcustommadecostumes,oranythingfromourcollectionofinexcessof12,000inventorieditemstohire,contactCostumeswithoutDrama.Phone0411431430GOODLUCKWITHYOURNEXTPROJECT!Pleaseshareyourexperiences,Iwouldlovetohearfromyou.

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