SHAVE CREAM DYEING INFORMATION

First off, I think we should call our mini group the Little Shavers. Little because we are a small group. Shavers because of the shaving cream. Any other nominations?? I am sure open to them. If I don't hear a better idea, when you see a message entitled Little Shavers, it will refer to this group.

You might want to print off the instructions. That way you will have a hard copy of the instructions. If you are worried about dye drips getting on the instructions you can put the paper in a gallon ziplock bag to protect them. You can also cover them with a piece of plexiglass.



To understand the supplies you need, you need to understand the process. I will give a quick overview of the process which will help you to understand what you need to get for supplies.

Shaving cream dyeing is done by adding the dye to shaving cream. The colored shaving cream is then put on to a flat service and a design is made. The fabric is laid on the shaving cream and pressed down to transfer the colors. The fabric is batched and rinsed as usual.

Supplies

Shaving Cream-I usually buy the cheapest kind. Jody is right; if you can get the unscented that would be the best way to go. By the time you are done, you will think that the smell of shaving cream will never leave your nose. For that reason I wouldn't choose a kind that a significant other uses or that has a special meaning for you. In other words if your dear departed dad always used Old Spice and it brings back great memories for you, don't use Old Spice to dye with. One can should be plenty.

Water-'Nuff said

Fabric-I use PFD fabric but I think you could use any white fabric. It should be prewashed.

Dye-I use procion MX dyes. You could probably use Rit or other types as well.

Soda Ash-to make the dye permanent

Plastic wrap-regular old kitchen stuff

Dye containers-Small containers to hold all your different colors of shaving cream. I use the small plastic dixie cups. The shaving cream will soak thru the plastic one. Our hot lunch program served a frozen dessert in little plastic containers and I also collected a bunch of them. Another thing that works well is the plastic containers that the powder Crystal Lite drink comes in. It is also hand to have a larger plastic container that all the little containers can fit in.

Spoons-or other stirring instruments. I use plastic silverware.

Container for dyeing in-We usually use Styrofoam plates but that makes a small piece of fabric. If you want to dye fat quarters you will need a container that is 18"x22". Wal-Mart has a small litter box that costs about a dollar. That might work well. It won't be 18"x22" but it will be larger than paper plate size. Another thing you could do is to cover your work service with a piece of plastic and work right on your work space. A garbage bag cut open would work well for this.

 

INFORMATION NUMBER 2

 

Since many of you missed out on the info about Shaving Cream Dyeing, I am going to compile the facts and techniques in this letter. I have copied and pasted the informational parts into this email. These excerpts are from many different people. To speed up the process, I didn't include names. Happy Reading!!
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Another idea for containers is Photographic trays used to develop
pictures, Butcher enamel pans (13x17 is the largest), I have a fiberglass
case large enough for 1/2 yd. cut down on the sides to make it somewhat
shallow and if the "significant other" is handy with tools, he could make
you a wood frame that you could tack plastic to (on the top and outside
edges only with carpet double back tape to hold the plastic to the inside
edges) to form a container the right size.  Any of these containers can also
be used to Marble with regular sizing.....and remember the larger the
container, the more likely you will need a partner to help you lay the
fabric down smooth so you don't get creases in the design.
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for a possible work area I'm wondering if this will work.  I have a section
of blue insulation board covered in plastic. I had to get this for my
deconstructed silkscreen class as the work surface. You buy this stuff in up
to 4x8 foot sheets at a hardware store, it's cheap. I use half of it for my
design wall as I don't have a big area to use. The other half I have covered
in plastic. I am thinking of cutting that in two as it was bigger than I
needed to work on. You can stick pins in it to hold your fabric in place. A 2
by 4 foot section would work nicely for one yard of fabric
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To be not charged duty on your goods. You have to mark on the little papers the post office will give (it is a small green form the is stuck to the outside of the envelopes for Cdn). Just check off the box that it is a gift and do not put the value over $25.00 Cnd.

The same go for people in the U.S. mark it is a gift and don't add more of a value of $20.00 in U.S. funds. A gift shipped to Canada can not be over the amount of $40.00 Cdn. But with the exchange rate changing every day, you are normally safe with marking $20.00 in U.S. funds.

You should only be charged duty if the goods were paid for, when you are doing a swap their is no monies changing hands. Besides with NAFTA Cotton is 100% duty free. But both Canada and U.S. customs have a certain $ amount for duty free charges on gifts.
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First I soak the fabric is my regular soda ash/salt solution, and wring it
out.  Then I mixed the shaving cream with dye until I got colors I liked -
less for pastel and more for deeper colors.  I laid plastic wrap out on the
table, painted on the plastic wrap with the shaving cream/water/dye and
then dropped the fabric on the shaving cream.  I rolled the whole thing up
and put it out in the sun for an hour or so (normal batching time), and
then rinsed it out in cold water.

It was fast and simple, and by rolling it up in the plastic wrap the colors
didn't bleed onto each other and I had a disposable batching
container...  Way less mess!
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I went to the Dollar Store and bought what they had -
non-scented.   Sometimes the stores even have the small trial sizes for
.50.  I did pick up a roll of the cheap plastic wrap for $1 while I was
there, cause I did go through a lot of it.

I had tons of fun.  I made just dye powder and shaving cream - and then
used my fingers in gloves to finger paint with it.  Later, I added some
water to the shaving cream and dye so that it was more fluid and I faux
marbled with it.  Of course you don't have the control of float but I made
the stones and swirled it around..
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I remember having a big roasting lifter to help get the turkey out of the
pan, the handle broke and I pitched it-it had wonderful spaced out tines.
And I had a beautiful angel food cake cutter with wonderful spread out
tines
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Hi all. Well today was a gloriously sunny day so with instructions in hand I did the shaving cream dyeing. There is one BIG tip I have if you haven't done this yet. DO IT OUTSIDE! By the end, I had a headache from the shaving cream and I'll probably never be able to use the stuff again. THANK-YOU for telling us not to use something we normally would. I couldn't get unscented, so went for a woody spice that I never liked anyway. I took a couple aspirin and had a bath. Much better now.

As for my dyeing? I am not very happy with the results. Everything was so VIVID when I did it, but had only a hint of colour when I was done. I knew they would get lighter, but this was awful. You know why??????  I DIDN'T FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS!!!!!!  I will be doing a new batch tomorrow. I didn't leave it 24 hours and I didn't wrap it in saran wrap. I laid it out in the shed for 4 hours with the shaving cream on it, then rinsed it out and literally washed most of the dye away. Tomorrow, I will follow the instructions!  lol 
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The reason we are to
line dry the fabric after the soak is so that the cloth holds the soda ash
solution.  From what I have gathered, the dryer can take this out or at
least enough to where your dyes won't take good.

If you were to iron the cloth before dyeing, you have to be sure the iron
isn't too hot that it would burn off the chemicals either.

Also, the reason the fabric has to be dry is so that nothing else is in the
fibers, like water, that would inhibit the uptake of the dye.  Can't find
the literature now that I was reading this in so I can't give you the exact
wording.  Kind of like two things can't occupy the same space or something
like that.  The dry fabric acts a wick for the dye.

I was reading over the letter that Vikki had sent to us and it sounded like
she just put the shaving cream on the saran wrap, made the design, put on
the fabric and then rolled the whole thing up.  Not sure why she put it in
the sun.  Does heat make the dye more permanent or make the dyeing process
faster?  I think she said she had it in the sun for an hour.  Again, the
paper is not in front of me as I write.  Anyway, think I will try some like
that but will wait for 24 hours before I wash the stuff out.  I like
splitting up the dyeing process as it seems like less work that way, plus
have housework and stuff that needs to be done anyway, can't spend a whole
day playing.
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I too, could not wait so I dyed about 3 yards of fabric.  It is gorgeous.
I used Kona PFD which is my favorite cotton to dye and I tried zillions of
color combos and techniques.  I used fat quarters.  I will do the swap
pieces tomorrow.  How many do we need?  I will use fat quarters and
then tear them into 11x9 after they are ironed. That way I can keep them
the same, more or less.  It is hard for me to do the same thing more than
once. I ironed my fabric, soda ash and all,  before I dyed it.  I have no
trouble with burning the fabric even with the iron on cotton.  I also
sometimes dry my fabric with the SA in my dryer with no problem. If you have a fire
in your dryer be sure to check your dry vent.  Fire is usually caused by
a clogged dry vent where the fluff from drying collects and is very
flammable. Soda ash is not flammable.
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was concerned about the comments that soda ash is hazardous so I
looked up the MSDS(material safety data sheet) for soda ash. 
Basically the main hazard is breathing the powder. There appears to
be little fire hazard unless it is stored in tanks over a long period
of time and even then not much.  You can check out the MSDS at the
following http://msds.pdc.cornell.edu/msds/siri/msds/h/q207/q495.html.
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You were mighty lucky your dryer came through the soda ash exposure
unscathed. I can only guess at the chemistry but it would have something to do with
corrosive salts invading the motor.  Every text I have on dyeing says to avoid putting
cloth in dryer that has been subjected to anything besides water. Beyond movable
dryer parts think about vents and releasing compounds into the atmosphere that are
potentially available for lungs and eyes.

Acid or alkaline pH will pit reactive metals.  Someone said turkey rack as
lifter. I wouldn't recommend using any aluminum, iron, or copper equipment.  Glass, stainless steel,
plastic equipment your best bet in either acid or alkaline pH.

The shaving cream is simply an interface between dye and cloth.  Cellulosics
require elevated pH in order for dye molecules to bond to fibers.  So whether cloth pretreated
or soda ash solution added post interface, principle is still the same:  raising pH.
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clipping into corners 1/4" significantly reduces the fraying.  you'll still
have to monitor loose strings but there will be much less.
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When it was totally done, dry, ironed, it was drawn on with a zig marker. You sit there and eyeball it until the light dawns and it looks like a flower to you.  Then you sort of scribble it in.  Sort of like cloud watching
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I have marbled paper before so that is the method of putting the color down that I used.  I have lots of neat designs, decided what colors look best together but I have lots of blank white spaces.  Actually, beige, as I used unbleached muslin this time around.  It looks like marbled paper.

Did it say anywhere that we were only to use white fabric for the trade?

It makes life a lot easier if you cut your fabric a width that matches the saran warp.  Much easier than having to get two pieces of saran to behave.

I couldn't find unscented shaving cream, at the third store I gave up the search and bought "for sensitive skin."  Ran out in the middle (of course!!) and bought regular foamy.  Sensitive skin has a scent but much less than regular.  Not as stiff a foam as regular either.

I thought the directions were fine.  It did help having the photos from HGTV.

Wonder if the directions might have been easier to spot if the subject line had read "Directions - Little Shavers"  next set might have been "Directions 2" etc. 

Oh, and I was doing fine until the end when I started pouring on the extra colored cream onto my fabric and I forgot and stuck my fingers, both hands, into the mess, a la fingerpainting.  My hands look like the incredible hulk's, they're green and blue!  A little better after I scrubbed with Soft Scrub but still green.

Very interesting project but my family thinks I've totally lost it now.  I can hardly wait until tomorrow when I can wash my fabric and see what I've actually got.  Hopefully, my fabric designs will be so great my family will decide I'm not so crazy after all.
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Another thing I did which may be something you guys will want to do is to
mix my powdered dye with just a little water, and put the shaving cream into
that mixture.  First time I put the powder in the cream, but it didn't all
dissolve.
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I had this idea of making a set of fabrics that would be the color wheel.  I
thought that I would mix the three basic color dyes, and instead of mixing
them to make the color wheel, that I would mix the colors right in the
shaving cream but keep the colors kind of separated and yet run some
together to make the alternate color.  Each piece would then have three
colors or more in the piece.  It would be kind of fun to experiment anyway.
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did that one with all colored foam.  I have done some with a white base and dribbling the dye from squirt bottles.  That works well too.  The marbling is finer and more distinct.  Next I will try thickening the dye with foam and squirting from the bottles.  This should give me more control.
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I had a few from the first day that I thought were too light. Last night as
I finished up, I soaked those in soda ash and laid them offset in the
aluminum cookie pan I was using. I poured the leftover orange dye over top,
then I flipped them and poured blackberry over one side and blue on the
other side and let them sit overnight. They are scrummy as none of them
turned out the same, just dark and rich.
I'm pleased with how mine squares turned out, some have more contrast than
others, but they are all pretty. It was a nice swap and I'm sure everyone
else's will be more exciting than our own.
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I used plastic teaspoons to measure my dye into 1/2 c of water. I put some
dye on the spoon, so that I could see a white edge around the spoon but it
was slightly mounded on the spoon.
I used the scarlet as my base and then added the white as I didn't want the
block to have too much white in it.
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hadn't thought about it but I had spilled just a little bit of dye, so
that one could hardly see it, so one of mine has little bright dots of
scarlet.
I wonder if the salt wouldn't make the shaving cream a little pockmarked.
Why don't you try washing 1 or 2 in a cold water bath just on low level. Or
you could heat up some water in a big kettle on the stove and do an initial
wash that way.
Even the overdyes were not rinsed by hand. I dumped the whole mess in the
washer, added a bit of synthrapol and washed them. It was hot water, but
I'm not sure what the hot water does for washing out. It may encourage more
of the extra dye, but an extra cold water rinse would let you know if all
of the extra dye was out of the fabric.
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got the first batch of 5 washed.  Two are good, the rest are rejects.  I
will have to over dye those I think, not with shaving cream though, don't
think it would work out well.  This is going to be harder than it looks to
dye fabric that will be acceptable to the group.  I will have to go cut some
more fabric and soda soak them, guess I had better do a lot extra.  14 seems
to be a mighty big number now.  Good thing we have an extra week, here I
thought I would have mine all done by this weekend and out in the mail on
Monday.  Don't think that will happen now if I have to continually redo
fabric.  Aren't you all glad that we have small pieces to do?

I couldn't find the unscented shaving cream either so got the cheapest,
Barbasol.  I looked at it in the store and thought it said Burma Shave and
yesterday when I opened the bag, it was Barbasol.  Wonder where my mind was
when I was buying it.  The smell of this stuff isn't too strong, but I am
doing it outside which really helps.  I don't think I would ever do this
kind of dyeing in the house closed up.

Oh, the rolling of the fabric in the saran wrap with the shaving cream still
on worked out really good.  I rolled some with the design facing out and
some facing in.  There wasn't much difference only I think that I will roll
them facing out from now on.  It seemed that the colors stayed where I
wanted them better.  When it came time to rinse, I only had to open the
saran wrap enough to pull out the fabric, no mess, the garbage was dumped
into a plastic bag.  Not messy at all.  I will continue using this way
instead of the tray way.

Now, off to soak some more fabric.
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Ann Johnston says 9 tablespoons to one gallon water, Dharma says one cup
soda ash per gallon water.  PH of 10 optimal.  Without a pH meter it's a big
guess how much soda ash since water pH varies widely from one part of the
country to another.
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I hung my fabric up WET on the clothes line and it
dried basically wrinkle free.  I hauled it out to the
line in a bucket.
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the dry fabric acts as a wick for the dyes.  The dry
fabric draws the dye from the shaving cream.  I used a plastic fork and very
gently touched the fabric to make sure that it was all touching the shaving
cream.  Then I waited a few minutes and then wrapped the fabric in saran
wrap.  I also put the shaving cream directly on the saran wrap and that kept
me from having to clean out a pan.  I would wrap the whole piece, shaving
cream and all in the wrap and roll it.  I then put it into a pan and when
done put another piece of saran wrap over the top as the sides on the fabric
rolls didn't seal.  This worked fine and my fabrics all stayed very wet
until I got to them for the rinsing and washing.
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This time I made the dye colours first by mixing powder and water, then added the cream.  And instead of using just a pinch of dye, I used a heaping 1/4 teaspoon. Made the world of difference.

I also did what others have been doing. I mixed some shaving cream with a dash of water, whisked that up, then plopped that down on the saran wrap and carefully spread it around. Then I added blobs of colour, blended and wrapped the whole thing up in a loose roll. I waited almost 12 hours and unwrapped. I used the same colour on everything but by added them in a different order, I got a bunch of varying depths of colour..
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First I made my shaving cream much thinner and added more
dye.  Then I tried  doing it two ways - one with fabric wet from the a soda
ash solution bath directly onto the shaving cream spread and the other dry
as before.  Both turned out much better than my first batch.  I then
resoaked my original pieces and overdyed them wet.  They came out quite
interesting.  I will scan images in and hopefully, they will get past yahoo.
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did what Dahn did and put in a bunch more dye and thinned down the shaving cream substantially.  I'm really pumped about this process now as I can see the possibilities are endless.  BTW - leaving your mask on through the whole process (DUH) keeps the smell of shaving cream down to a dull roar.  don't know why I took mine off the first time after I finished mixing the dye - the smell really made me sick for a couple of days.
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