Dyeing foam & fabric problem

biblebetty

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Hi everyone.
have a big problem! when I dye foam or fabric how do I keep it from floating to the top. if it does it does not dye evenly. if I put a rock or something heavy or use a broom handle to hold it down there is a white spot or light spot where it won't dye well. Do you have any Ideas how i can keep the foam or fabric submerged?
 

Buck-Beaver

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I've always wondered about this too actually; I have used small weights but you have to be careful doing that because the fabric under the weights may not dye correctly.
 

Blink

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Try having the foam pre-soaked in hot water to make sure that there are no air pockets in the foam. I work all the bubbles out with the foam submerged in a tub of clear water.

You should find that not only does the foam "not float", but the dye solution is able to soak all the way through for even colour.
 

biblebetty

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well that makes sense, i'll take a shot at that. thank-you
 

MGov

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Buy rubber gloves and hold the foam or fabric in the dye bath, regularly agitating it, letting it float up a little, pushing it down, moving it around to get the dye bath to flow over the whole thing.

I do this every time and never have an uneven dye job.
 

biblebetty

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Creatureworks thanks for the link, it helped alot,
McGov how long do you do this for. I like to leave the foam or fabric over night. I get a nice dark beautiful color!

Buck what kind of weights do you use? where do you put them on the fabric or foam?
 

Buck-Beaver

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They were small Mexican weights that I picked up for my workshop when I lived down there (so they were probably made of lead and highly toxic :frown: ). There were four of them, each one about the size of a large cherry, but flat on the bottom. I would put one on each corner of whatever I was floating to help hold it down.

I have them packed away, otherwise I would take a photo.
 
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