Scientific experiment

I'll bet that title has you eager to see what this is all about. I'm testing some spray to see how well it protects fabric from fading. I got it at REI, the outdoor adventure store. It's a UV protectant spray designed for use on anything that sits out in the sun. It doesn't specifically mention fabric, but it does say vinyl, tires, plastics, leather, fiberglass, patio furniture, pool covers, jackets and handbags. And fine, finished wood furniture. So why not cotton fabric?

I sewed together three pieces of fabric, cut off a sample to save as the original, sprayed half of the remainder. It's been sitting out in the sun for several days so far, too early to see any change.


The sprayed section is on the left and extends about 2/3 of the way across the fabric. The spray itself made the fabric a little darker, so if you think you're seeing a difference, you're really not.

The stuff is called 303 Aerospace Protectant and claims to be environmentally safe: non-toxic, non-flammable, and biodegradable. They call it SPF 40 for your stuff. So we'll see what happens.

And the azaleas are in full bloom.