Earth Oxides

Earth Oxides is the DyeWorks term for colorful pigments mined from the earth, sifted, baked, crushed to powder and used in solution to apply color to cloth.

Earth Oxides come in many colors, a growing number of which are available for your use. As we discover them, more colors will be added.

Along with the Earth Oxides, you may use Indigo powder within this application, offering wonderful blues to your palette as well.

To Use Earth Oxides:

Step 1: Make soy milk. Follow instructions from the “Soy Milk Kit”. Make enough to treat the fabric, and reserve some to mix with the Earth Oxides the following day. Generally, process ¼ cup soy beans into soy milk for every two yards of fabric you intend to design.

Step 2: Wash and dry your fabric. Brush on soy milk and hang to dry 24 hours. (Store reserved soy milk in refrigerator, covered.)( Use a table covered in clear, 6 mil plastic.) (Alternative: Use a traditional Japanese Harita/Shinshi set-up outdoors, suspended between two trees, poles, etc.)

Step 3: Place 2 heaping teaspoons Earth Oxide into a plastic container. Add in ½ cup soy milk, stir well and let stand 15 minutes. Stir again, and add additional soy milk to reach a ‘rich chocolate milk’ consistence. Dip in your wetted paint brush and begin painting with your Earth Oxide upon your dry fabric. (Store your remaining Earth Oxides, covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.)

Alternate Step 3: Place 2 heaping teaspoons Earth Oxide into a plastic container. Add in ½ cup soy milk, stir well and let stand 15 minutes. Stir again. Add in about ¼ cup prepared gum tragacanth solution. (See ‘Gum Tragacanth’ instructions.) Evaluate the consistence and adjust with additional gum tragacanth solution, to your taste. This solution is ready for silk screen, thermal fax or stencil printing, as well as brushing on for stamps and special effects with found objects, fish, handprints, etc. (Store your remaining Earth Oxides, covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.)

Step 4: Allow your fabric to dry in place for 24 hours. (You may hang it up to dry once the danger of possible running has passed.)

Step 5: Fold and steam (stuffed in a giant Ziploc with the air pushed out. We find this technique sufficient.) for two hours. Let stand to cool, then hang for an hour. Wash in the washing machine, once or twice is usually sufficient. Check your wash water, and continue washing cycles until it is ‘clean’. We recommend Synthropol in each washing round.

Alternate Step 5: Hang and air cure your fabric for 2 weeks. Wash as directed above.

Next Design Steps: You are ready for your next steps now. Your fabric will be colorfast.
You may mordant and dye the cloth now.
You may dip in indigo.
You may print with textile paints.
You may print with a solution of iron and gum tragacanth (See Iron for instructions.) to give another layer of shade to your Earth Oxides.

Clean-Up Hints: Be sure to wash off the soy milk and Earth Oxide remnants which may remain on your plastic table cover. Be sure to wash your brushes of soy milk with Dr. Bronner’s soap, for the most gentle and thorough removal of the soy oils.

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