I decided that 5 of my 9 rust-dyed fabrics (as shown in the November 4th entry) really needed to be darker. This time, rather than leaving them exposed on our deck, I dipped each cloth in vinegar and then wrapped each one around one or more rusty tools and placed them in a LARGE Hefty ziplock bag for over a week. The bag was then placed in the garage - out of sight and out of mind. This way, they don't dry out between spritzing while the rust continued to penetrate the cloth.
Today, I remembered them and figured I'd better check to see how they were doing. Here are all 5 pieces after soaking them in salt water to stop the rust-action, washing, drying and ironing them:
And here are close-ups of each of them:
This one is my current "favorite:"
As you can see, they turned out beautifully!
5 comments:
Those look great. I'm impressed! So tell me, does the rusting metal totally dissolve? Like, if I wanted to use one of my hubby's old tools, would it still be a useable tool when the fabric was done?
Hi, Jeri -
Yes, the rusting metal dissolves, not totally and not very fast, but the longer it is exposed to the vinegar - even if dry - the more quickly it decomposes.
So no, I wouldn't suggest using any tools that you'd like to be still usable after using them for rust-dyeing.
Since we downsized 4 years ago, I had no "old, rusty" anythings so I went to a junque shop and bought some old tools. The dealer was somewhat surprised at the intended use - no, I don't want them to decorate my home, but to "decorate" my fabric!!!
Your fabric turned out beautiful. One day I may have to try rusting myself.
Pat, these are gorgeous!
Hi Pat. These rust dyes are lovely. Mine turned out so Light compared. Good to find your blog btw
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