Surface Design Tutorial with flour

Some of my flour paste resist dyed cloth

  
I think I got this recipe, originally from Jane Dunnewold. I'd been wanting to try it for a long time.

Flour Paste Resist

Mix 1 cup ordinary white flour with 1 cup cold water (not hot, or the paste will be gluey) and stir until the lumps are gone. Pour the paste over the top of your fabric. Spread it over the fabric with a squeegee. 


Make sure you haven't missed any spots. At this point, you can let the paste dry thoroughly, and it will form a simple crackle. Or, you can use a skewer to draw designs in the paste, then let dry. When the paste has dried completely, gently scrunch the fabric up, crackling the hardened paste.

Apply a coat of thinned textile or craft paint over the flour surface, working it into the cracks and let the paint dry completely.  

This is what the back of the fabric looked like when it was still wet with paint.

Wait at least 24 hours for the paint to set, and then soak the fabric in warm water until the paste dissolves. Wash in the washing machine to fully remove the paste. Dry in the dryer and press with a hot iron. Use as is, add more paint, or over-dye.
As you'll see, I did the whole process a second time for a second layer.

Cloth with one round of flour paste resist.

Here they are with just one layer of color, awaiting the
second application of flour paste resist

Stencil Girl Products "Eddy Rose" stencil.

Stencils worked great

I stamped with a potato masher

  

Wrote with the end of the brush

Let the second layer of flour paste resist dry overnight.

Second layer of flour paste resist and dye.

Let dry at least 24 hours, longer is better.

Shiva PaintStiks rubbing as first layer and one resist dye

PaintStiks only

  

first layer

I stamped with F&W Acrylic Ink, then one resist dye.

Can you spot my Eucalyptus Leaf thermofax screen?

I used transparent SetaColor and Jacquard Textile paints on white cotton muslin (that I did not wash beforehand.)

The whole process was easy, non-toxic, and fun. I'll keep you posted on what I do with the fabric. Have you done flour paste resist before?