Alcohol Dyed Interfacing Tutorial

Here's a little tutorial I put together--low budget. Don't laugh :) Dyeing interfacing with alcohol inks. You'll need some stiff interfacing (non fusible) of any kind, but this doesn't work as well for Peltex or very thick interfacing which will soak up too much dye and alcohol. I've also used this technique for dyeing fabric softener sheets. Other materials: alcohol, alcohol inks, Schmincke Tro-Col powder.


Step 1. Cut your interfacing into smaller sheets to work with. Pour a little alcohol in a bowl and add some drops of alcohol inks. I like to work with multiple colors in the same range.Step 2. Crumple up a small sheet of interfacing and roll it in the alcohol to soak up the dye. WEAR GLOVES unless you want to have colorful hands.Squeeze the interfacing and rub it together to distribute the dye. Crumple and work it with your hands. Repeat until you are satisfied with the intensity and distribution of the color.

When you're done, yours should look something like this. It's still wet with alcohol but we need to set the color before rinsing it out.Step 3. Lay some sheets of newspaper on your ironing surface and place the colored interfacing on top of it. Cover it with more newspaper and iron the interfacing to heat set it. This does not smell pleasant so do not inhale deeply. You don't need to completey dry the interfacing, just get it good and hot with the iron and allow the alcohol to be absorbed by the newspaper. Use care with your iron, since alcohol is flammable. Don't work near a flame. When the interfacing is a bit dryer you may be able to iron it directly or use a teflon sheet to protect your iron.Step 4. Rinse your interfacing in soapy water and wring it out. You should not see much color rinse away. If all the color comes out, it wasn't heat set well enough. Try again.Step 5. I love to add Schmincke powder to mine. This is a very fine golden powder for use with acrylics. While the interfacing is wet, sprinkle a bit here and there to add a golden sparkle to the material. Iron right over this to set it to the material. You may want to use a teflon sheet to protect your iron.When your interfacing is dry, you're done! Now go do something fun with it!!