FaveCrafts

1000s of free craft projects, home decor ideas and DIY tips

Ask Maria Pigment Ink vs Dye Ink

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Reader Question: What is the difference between a pigment ink and a dye ink? Is one better than the other for stamping?

  

Answer: A pigment ink is a slow drying ink that is water resistant. A dye ink (sometimes called watercolor ink) is not water resistant unless it is permanent ink and is not as color fast or fade resistant as pigment ink. Differences include the color palettes, time to dry, and transparency.

Pigment inks can be used for embossing, the process of stamping an ink image, covering it with embossing powder, and heating the powder so it rises. Dye ink just can’t match the consistency of pigment ink. You can add to this mix inks called hybrids which were designed to have the best features of pigment and dye inks.

Which type of ink you select really depends on the technique you want to achieve. Dye inks have brilliant transparent color. Pigment inks are best for embossing and if you want to stamp on a non-porous surface you’ll want a permanent ink. Most stampers have a variety of different inks to experiment and don’t forget that all these inks mix well together.

Do you have a question for Maria Nerius, Craft Expert at FaveCrafts.com? Just send your question!

Free Shipping on Fabric Dye Products

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We recently published a round-up of blogger projects using Tulip Fabric Dye products, and were blown away by the great things that our blogger friends made. They dyed clothing, tablecloths, and even baskets, many with the help of the projects and techniques in the Free Fabric Dye eBook.  We just want to remind our readers that you have just 3 weeks left to use the offer for free shipping at ILovetoCreate.com on any of the fabric dye products. Enter in the code “fave1009” for free shipping at checkout.  This offer expires 11/30/09. With the holidays quickly approaching, you can start making holiday presents with these products. You could make:

Just a few ideas! Find many more ideas in the Fabric Dye eBook and go to ILovetoCreate.com to purchase fabric dye products with free shipping before November 30.

Fabric-Dye Review Round-up

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Recently, Tulip sent out a whole bunch of tie-dye and fabric dyes kits to our blogger friends to review. We are so very impressed with their ideas and fabric-dye skills! You will find all the results below with links to the individual reviews. For more information about the Tulip fabric dye products reviewed, please go here. Better yet, if you are interested in purchasing any of these projects, you can go to ILoveToCreate.com and enter the code “fave1009” for free shipping at the checkout.  Please note that this offer expires 11/30/09 though!

My Review for FaveCrafts– Spiral Shirt Made with the Dye Techniques Kit

Basket Master Weavings’  Tie-Dye Baskets– Made with Tulip Super Big One-Step Tie-Dye Kit

Fab Miss B’s Beach Tablecloth and Runner– Made with Tulip Permanent Fabric Dye

The Sometime Crafter’s Painted Fabric Dye Leaves– Made with Tulip One-Step Dyes

Chic Steal’s Tie-Dye Denim Skirt– Made with Tulip Permanent Fabric Dye and Crumple Technique

Crafterella’s Tie-Dye Fabrics– Three versions made with Tulip Permanent Fabric Dye

Many Creative Gifts’ Tie-Dye Pieces– Yoga Pants, Onesie and Spiral Shirt (FAR superior to mine) made with Tulip Super Big One-Step Tie-Dye Kit. Make sure to check out Parts 1 and 2 of her tie-dye adventure.

Lil Blue Boo’s Heart Tie-Dye Fabric– Made with Tulip Super Big One-Step Tie-Dye Kit

Inspired at Home’s Tie-Dye Picture Frame– Made with Tulip Dye Technique Kit

Create!’s Tie-Dye Pillows– Made with Tulip One-Step Tie-Dye Kit

Tie-Dye Basket Weaving

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Dear FaveCraft Friends,

I’m so happy to say that I will be blogging over here monthly and sharing information with you regarding the wonderful craft of basket weaving.  Today I want to share with you how I, as a basket weaver, used the Tulip Tie-Dye kit.

Tie-Dye Kit

I used the kit to dye my reed!

tie-dye-reed

The kit comes with 12 delicious colors. That’s great, because my box of mason jars comes 12 to a box as well. That means one color per jar and I won’t have to wash out and re-use the jars for additional colors.

I mixed up the first color according to the directions, color plus 4 oz of water (1/2 cup). I dipped the end of some reed in it and it took the color instantly. The directions said that the color could be lightened by adding more water. I decided to go to one cup of water. The reed still took the color almost instantly and with the same intensity as the first dip test. I decided to stick with one cup of water for each package of color.
Into each jar I put the dye, 1 cup water and 1 1/2 oz to 2 oz of reed. (I weighed it just to be sure.) Then I shook up each jar and placed it on its side to help the reed get maximum coverage in the dye bath. I let the reed stay in the dye bath about 1 hour and would turn and shake the jars about every 10 minutes.

reed2

Did I tell you I did all this outside on my back patio wearing old clothes? Nancy’s Tip: Even under optimum conditions NEVER, I repeat NEVER dye read in the house, or while wearing nice clothing on. The kit comes with rubber gloves as well as a plastic tarp. I used those too while working outside. I do think dying fabric could be less messy because it wouldn’t flip and fling little droplets of dye the way reed can.

When the kit came, the colors on the package just shouted, “It’s party time!” to me. That said, I decided to design and weave little party baskets to hold candy or small favors.

party-baskets

For those of you who have been too timid to try dying your own reed, this is a good way to try dying just a small bit at a time. It really was just one-step.
This month at FaveCrafts, I have posted the pattern for this fun little Party Favor Basket.

If you are in need of additional basket weaving information, be sure to visit my blog at www.basketmasterweavings.blogspot.com for more tips and techniques.

Happy Weaving,

Nancy

Tie-Dye Fun for Everyone

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Tulip® Fashion Art recently sent me the Dye Techniques Kit to try and review here at FaveCrafts. We recently put together the Fun with Fabric Dye eBook full of fabric dye techniques and craft, so I was very excited to give this a try. I never knew how many things you could do with fabric dye!! The kit comes with everything you need to tie-dye the fabric of your choice including:

  • three 4 OZ bottles of Tulip® Permanent Fabric Dye™ (fuchsia, lime and turquoise)- These colors are bright, but work well together. You can use one, two or all three for your project. You can also blend the colors for solid coverage…I was thinking about adding turquoise to the fuschia for a deeper purple color. The best thing about these dyes is that they do not bleed everywhere. Precision application was surprisingly easy with the fine-tip squeeze bottles. And, I had a dyed product in about 4-6 hours.
  • one 2 OZ bottle of Tulip® Resist™- This nifty gel material allows you create areas that resist the dye…useful for creating white designs with the stencils, or you can create your own designs. Image painting an abstract design on you shirt with a the resist gel and then using the fabric dye.
  • three Tulip® Multi-Surface Stencils™
  • two sponge brushes
  • Reusable spray top- This can be placed on any of the dye bottles for spray technique…really cool and easy to use
  • 4 pairs of gloves- These are absolutely necessary. You will also need big garbage bags to protect your work surface. I did this in the kitchen near the sink and did not have much trouble with mess.
  • Rubber bands- Thick, sturdy rubber bands for a variety of dye techniques.
  • Instruction guide that includes five outrageous techniques; Shibori, Spray, Batik, Brush and Urbanesque.

I picked up a few white t-shirts at the local thrift store to experiment. Since this was my first time tie-dying, I wanted to try something with all the colors. The five techniques included in the kit booklet were great, but I picked the Swirl Tie-Dye Technique for my first project.

 

Here’s how my spiral-dyed shirt turned out.

tie_die

Fun right? I love it! The technique was super-easy and I used the rubber bands from the kit.  I also used the spray bottle and the vaporization technique explained in the booklet to create a shirt for a friend, but I forgot to snap a picture before giving it away!  The look is very modern, different from the classic hippie look with my shirt. I’m planning on dying an apron soon with the shibori technique explained in the kit booklet too, so I’ll make sure to take more pictures. I amazed that I still have dye left!

If you are interested in purchasing this kit or any fabric dye products, you can get free shipping at www.ilovetocreate.com. Enter in the code “fave1009” for free shipping at checkout! Offer expires 11/30/2009.

Christmas presents perhaps?

Fun with Fabric Dye eBook from Tulip

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With 28 fabric dye projects organized by 18 different dye techniques, the Fun with Fabric Dye eBook is the ultimate craft resource for fashion and fun. Dye techniques, including Batik, Sunburst, Heart and Shibori, include step-by-step photo instructions so that anyone can master the technique. PLUS, find two great ideas for “tie-dye” ceramics in the eBook.

Tulip is offering FREE shipping on fabric dye purchases at their website. Just enter in the code “fave1009” for free shipping at checkout. Offer expires 11/30/2009.

Included in the eBook:

Rubberbanding Fabric Dye Technique

  • Dyed Yarn Knit Scarf, with scarf knitting pattern (pg. 10)- Pick up an inexpensive skein of white yarn and use the Tulip® One-Step Tie-Dye KitsTM– Psychedelic to create beautiful variations of color in the yarn. Use the dyed yarn in your next knitting project. A suggested scarf knitting pattern is included!

Gradation Fabric Dye Technique

  • Pink Berries Skirt (pg. 36)- Fabric dye can be quite elegant, as with this beautiful sateen skirt displaying a subtle variation in color. Create the skirt shown or use this technique with your favorite color.

Crumple Fabric Dye Technique

  • Crochet Rainbow Top (pg.25)- Highlight the crochet or other texture at the top of a shirt with this tie-dye craft project. If you create the shirt, use this idea for a variety of colors without switching yarns or fabrics. Add some color to a boring old top.

Ombre Fabric Dye Technique

  • Fashion Shower Curtains (pg. 46)- Fabric dye is great for more than just clothing. You will have the most stylish shower curtain (or drapery) with this ombre project, inspired by moonlight.

Learn more and download the eBook for FREE here.

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