The photo on the right shows 2 examples of dye release. Both fabrics had a bleach paste (In this instance Cascade liquid dishwasher soap) applied to make the leaf pattern designs. I used a stencil and a foam roller to make the ginkgo leaf design. The oak leaf design was made with a foam stamp. I lightly rolled the paste onto the stamp with the foam roller. I let the bleach set for 10 minutes on the green fabric and only 5 minutes on the dark navy fabric. The bleach was rinsed away and then the fabric was soaked for 15 minutes in a water and vinegar mixture to stop the bleaching process.The green fabric on top is one of my hand dyed fabrics. The fabric on the bottom is a commercial dye/batik. I was curious to see how my fabric would hold up to the bleach in the release paste. I was pleasantly surprised. I use a dye fixative in the final stage of dyeing to increase color fastness. There was much less of a reaction than I expected. On the other hand I did not expect the quick results with the commercially dyed fabric. I guess that what makes this technique so much fun. You never know what your end result will be.
