Tip

When using decorative acrylic resists (Sennelier Gold, Silver, Black and H.Dupont Resist in a Tube) , allow it to dry naturally. To create a more effective resist, BEFORE PAINTING, heat set the resist with an iron by pressing between a press cloth to set the acrylic resist into the fabric.

Tip

Be careful when you use a lot of black dye next to yellow and colors which contain a concentration of yellow. Due to the different strike time of the two colors, the black may bleed into the yellow during the steaming process

Tip
As you are applying the resist the edges of the metal tips may drag slightly on the silk. This is not a terrible problem but you can round off the tip with a jewelers file or any fine metal file so that the tip glides easily over the silk. With less resistance you will have more control of your resist drawing and application.

Tips

Some fabrics like crepe de chine tend to scallop between the fabric attachment points. You can alleviate the tension by inserting stainless steel quilters pins along the edge of the silk and then place the hooks over them. This technique is very useful because it keeps the grain of the silk straight when executing a straight boarder or geometric design.

When working on rolled hem scarves you can use the quilters pins or place a long slim rod into the roll of the hem and attach the hooks over it or employ charted needles which are commonly used for smocking.

When working with simple preconstructed garments that have curves, use long lai needles which bend to the curves and have memory. Lai needles can be purchased in Hawaii and from some floral supply companies. Cut off the eye of the needle so it does not catch on the threads. Sand and coat them with clear nail polish so the metal doesn’t rust or stain the silk.

When painting a scarf with a rolled hem the field dries faster than the wet dye in the rolled hem which starts to work its way into the drier field causing an uneven watermark. To alleviate the uneven drying, pinch the dye out of the rolled hem with an absorbent paper towel, being careful not to backstain the silk with dye already collected on the towel. As the scarf dries, periodically dry the rolled hem with a hair drier.