Having learned my lesson when setting and washing the samples from my natural ink screen prints, I knew this time that the cloth should be steamed before I trust the ink to be colour safe.
I took it to Studio 27 to use the Profi fabric steamer. The fabric to be steamed is laid out on some paper and rolled around a cardboard tube. This is then inserted in the top of the cylinder with the lid guide inside the tube. Water is brought to the boil in the base section and the part of the kettle now containing the rolled fabric, placed on top. 30mins should be a sufficient time in the steam. Using gloves, remove the cylinder and take out the rolled cloth.
Above the cloth before steaming, laid out on the paper.
Below the cloth after steaming. A distinctly pinker shade is achieved after the steaming and it also had the added effect of getting the cloth to shrink slightly, firming up the weave.