In the Studio with Ana Buzzalino

Thank you for joining me in my studio! In this installment, I would like to share a technique for hand-dyeing fabric that gives unique results where no two pieces will be alike. I’m talking about rust dyeing. It’s a great way to get that brownish-red colour and some interesting textures. You can dye both natural and synthetic fabrics, but cotton and/or silk work the best. This is a fascinating way of dyeing fabric using rusty bits of metal.

The rusting process: how and why it happens.

Rust is the common word for natural occurring iron oxides that form when iron or steel corrodes and oxidizes when in contact with air, giving that red or brownish colour. Fabric, when in contact with this surface, absorbs the colour resulting in fabric that is colourfast, washable and unique.

Read more in our Issue 51.

Ana Buzzalino
www.anabuzzalino.com