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| Sandwich your silk piece with 4-6 layers of blank, clean newsprint or some other uncoated absorbent paper. Kraft paper may be too dense for the steam to penetrate. If your colors are not too dark, or if you didn't use was or corn syrup, you may need on 3 sheets. Place 2-3 sheets on top of the silk piece and 2-3 sheets underneath the silk piece. Any excess dye will be absorbed by the newsprint. The silk cannot touch itself or the dye will transfer. |
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| Loosely roll your newsprint and silk layers on the diagonal. This makes it easier for the next step. |
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| When you have completely rolled the newsprint and silk layers, you may want to put a tiny piece of tape to secure the end. Be careful with the tape. Sometimes the glue on the tape gets on the silk. |
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| Start from one end and loosely roll up the "tube" of newsprint and silk layers. |
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| Make sure there is a hole in the center and the roll is loosely rolled so steam can reach all parts of the newsprint and silk layers. |
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| Secure the end with a small piece of tape. You now have a "cinnamon roll" package. |
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| Take a sheet of newsprint and wrap the entire "cinnamon roll" package andadd a small piece of tape to secure the end. This last piece of newsprint is vital. |
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| Get some inexpensive thin aluminum foil. Not the heavy kind. Steam will penetrate the foil if it is thin. |
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| Place the aluminum foil on bottom and wrap loosely. |
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| Now we need to add an "umbrella" to the top of the "cinnamon roll" package. |
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| Loosely wrap another piece of foil on the top part of the "package." |
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| The aluminum foil protects the newsprint and silk layers from any water drips. |
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| This aluminum foil wrapped package will be placed on a rack to suspend it in the pot. Boiling water should never touch any part of the package. |
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| Marbles are placed in the pot and about a inch or more of water is added. The water cannot be near the aluminum foil wrapped package. Boiling water should not be able to " jump up" and touch the package. |
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| The steamer basket is placed into the pot. Water should not come up into the steamer basket. The rack with the package is centered into the pot. No part of the aluminum foil package should touch any part of the pot - sides, steamer basket bottom, or lid. |
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| A glass domed lid comes in handy so you can see if any drips are landing directly onto the package. If your lid has a steam vent hole in it, plug it up with a piece of foil or cork. Place this pot on the stove or hot plate and bring to a boil and steam for 2-3 hours depending on the instructions for your particular acid dye. If your pot's lid or basket is loose and a lot of steam is coming out, put a layer of aluminum foil to "seal" the seams. |
