Science of dyeing fabric is 4-H workshop project

Learning the science of fabric dyeing, 4-H youth participated in a fashion fabric workshop Monday. The students conducted experiments and had discussions about creating winning color combinations.

"What we are learning about today is fabric, and how fabric design happens," Nebraska Extension Educator Cynthia Gill said.

Participants began their day with an experiment using balloons, in the process learning how static affects different types of materiel.

Weather is also a factor in how static electricity is created said Gill "The dryer the climate the more static you will see."

Kids then created their own color wheels using various shades and color paint swatches, learning about complementary and analogues colors.

Ansley Svoboda created her color wheel to look like a flower, learning that the color wheel "helps you to learn how to mix colors together," Svoboda said.

She also learned "you can't blend any colors to make red, yellow and blue because those are primary colors."

Using a mixture of Kool-Aid and hot water, the students began dyeing samples of wool yarn, cotton and silk.

Animal proteins like wool and silk absorb the dye better then plant proteins like the cotton, Gill said.

Ending the day, the 4-H participants learned the technique of fabric dyeing called Shibori, using yards of fabric, silk scarfs indigo dye and Kool-Aid to produce intricate "tie dye" patterns.

Gill said the samples the students created can be laid out into their portfolios if they wished to enter them into the county fair next month.

"The portfolios are a great life skill the students learn in 4-H," Gill said. "Don't we all need to keep samples of our work to show for future reference?"

The fabric could also be used to enter a sewn project in the fair. Toni Hiett has been a member of 4-H for three years. She said she used her families sewing machine that she believes "came with the house when they bought it" to create a dress that she will model for the 4-H fashion show at the Cheyenne County Fair this year.

Along with sewing, Hiett shows cattle, and enters exhibits in painting, photography, and home decor.