everybody these days seems to be raging about teddy bear fur for fields, thatch roofs etc so I thought I would get in on the act.
I headed off to my local fabric store in Kingston and bought a metres worth (just under actually for a couple of quid) - the colour I chose was called honey.
This is half of the purchase about 3ft square
I then headed into Wilkinsons an bought some dye. Green dye to bye precise for £2.99
I got home and soaked the teddy fur in water (as per instructions)...I then mixed up the dye with water and salt in an old bucket.
I then dumped the cloth into the bucket and left for an hour.
Rather stupidly I did not follow all the instructions...I had to stir continuously for an hour. Bugger that for a game of soldiers and with no tiddly peeps on hand to pay to do the hard work I left it to stand.
Result...not much dyeing...as you can see its gone a darker shade but not the green I was hoping for.
Net result....it might have been the fabrics resistance to dye or I should have just stirred !
Until next time
Quite a few guides say to give the fur a few washes - I'm sure it'll come together!
ReplyDeleteYou can purchase teddy-bear fur in green (green teddys ?)
ReplyDeleteYour not the only one to get terrain wrong! ;-)
ReplyDeleteThat's a pain, can you spray paint it?
ReplyDeleteYou may find that the cheaper fur is made of polyester or even nylon and may not dye at all :-( http://www.madehow.com/Volume-3/Fake-Fur.html#b has an interesting article on 'fake fur'.
ReplyDeleteAsk in the material shop for advise. Good luck as the only thing I normally manage to dye is may hands (blue for Cyanotype pictures and green for base boards at the mo)...
I was a bit devious when I dyed my game mat. Waited till MrsJ was out then used the dylon machine method instructions. After it was finished I flushed the machine through on a rinse cycle. She was none the wiser and it worked a treat.
ReplyDeleteI have done this as well, but with canvas and never with fur.
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