Vibrant Color Combining Soy Wax and Dyes for Brilliant Results

Got soy wax? Got dye? Join Jane Dunnewold and Lisa Kerpoe as they explore three exciting applications - including crayons perfect for rubbings, drawing and writing, hot, colored wax and dye paste - ideal for stenciling and stamping. Soy wax is an inexpensive, biodegradable and a renewable resource. In this entertaining presentation, they'll share everything you need to know to produce gorgeous fabrics - from basic supplies to the final washout.


The Vibrant Color DVD and workshops are the culmination of over two years of experimentation with techniques to add MX dyes to soy wax.

• Dye Crayons - Jane began working on the idea of creating a soy wax dye crayon in 2008.  Soy wax by itself is too soft to work well as a crayon.  But the soy candle wax, which has hardening agents, would not release the dye into the fabric.  Jane experimented with a variety of substances to get just the right combination.  The crayons are perfect for writing or drawing directly on the fabric, as well as for creating rubbings from textured objects.  The color is vibrant and doesn't affect the hand of the fabric. 
• Hot Wax with Dyes - As Jane perfected the recipe for the dye crayons, she and Lisa were interested in seeing what would happen if dye was mixed with hot soy wax. Would it color the fabric?  Would the wax still act as a resist when overdyed?  They conducted numerous experiments, evaluating the effect of multiple variables.  Finally, they came upon a process that was consistently reliable.  
• Dye Paste - While mixing up a batch of crayons, Jane realized that while in a soft state, the wax worked very well for stencils.  However it was difficult to keep it at just the right temperature to remain soft.  So, Jane and Lisa experimented with a number of additives to keep the wax paste soft.  They have perfected a recipe that is the consistency of shoe polish. It can be applied with a soft sponge or a stencil brush. It creates stencilled images that are clear with sharp edges.