Fabric Dyeing Questions

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October Questions

Hi Jennifer -I purchased a beautiful pink skirt suit last spring and have yet to use it because it's just well, too pink! I wanted to dye it black or charcoal grey but wasn't sure if there is one product that works better than others. Do you have any suggestions / recommendations? Sincerely, Naomi
Dear Naomi,
please read my article on Fabric Dyeing 101. Here is the link: http://www.fabrics.net/DizzyLettuceArticle.asp. This will give you the basic information & tell you if you can consider dyeing the suit.
Write back if you have more questions!!
Jennifer

Jennifer - I purchased a knit jacket and dress on line. The dress arrived one month before the jacket - the dye lots are different :( The color on the dress is a light oatmeal/white, the color on the jacket is very light yellow. The fabric content is 55% Ramie and 45% cotton. The label reads Dry Clean. I was hoping to remove the color and then dye the pieces together. Looking forward to your thoughts.
Diane
Dear Diane,
If you bought the pieces new from an on-line retailer, I would suggest that you send them back.

If you can't return them then you will be undertaking an experiment. Keep in mind:
--color remover uses HOT water & agitation
--If the pieces are structured or tailored, you risk shrinkage & twisting.
Get all the supplies you need at www.dharmatrading.com.
good luck!
Jennifer

I have an unlined unstructured suede coat. It is pale aqua and I would like to dye it black. Any ideas where?
Dear Kato,
Is it ultrasuede or leather-suede? Leather is dyed by Coronet Leather in Denver. they serve customers from all over the world. www.coronetleather.com.
Ultrasuede (which is polyester) cannot be dyed.
best,
Jennifer

Dear madam,
I'm a student who is studying garments and fashion design in Hong Kong. I've got a project of dyeing a jacket with a zipper at centre front. However, no matter how many times i try, the metallic blading of the anti-brass teeth faded off and the zipper puller is always bleached. I wonder if there is a way of preventing the zipper to be bleached when a whole jacket under dyeing process? Looking forward to hearing from you soon! Best Regards, Ana
Dear Ana,
I really don't know. It must be something about a chemical reaction of the metal & the dye chemicals. In general, fabric is dyed before it is constructed into garments, so components may not be structured to hold up to the chemical process. Depending on your intended outcome, you could try painting the jacket or maybe a different kind of dye.
good luck,
Jennifer

Hello Jen, Just want to check why bleach twill fabric changes it's color to yellow after sunshine and if there's teflon applied, will it affect the color? thanks. Best regards, Annie
Dear Annie,
You're out of my league now. I don't know, except that yellowing can be caused by over-bleaching. Search for a textile chemist who can answer some questions for you.
best,
Jennifer

Hi
I have a Monique Lhuillier cocktail dress. It is ivory and I would like to dye it black so I can wear it again. It has a silk lining and the lace is like wedding dress lace. the dress was $1800. I would love to be able to wear it this fall in our hot louisiana climate. I can send it off if you think I will mess it up. please let me know. Your website was so helpful. the lace is 97% cotton 3% nylon and the lining is 85% lycra 15% silk. what do you think? Sincerely
Sarah
Dear Sarah,
You can consult with Sherry at www.fabricdyeing.com, or another professional dyehouse at www.dyeproservices.com. I live in the hot, humid south too & I myself would wear the ivory May-Sept, maybe into October with a fallish-colored wrap. But please yourself! Keep in mind that black is a hard color to get, & if it's really 85% lycra (rather than the reverse, 85% silk, 15% lycra), the lining will probably not take the dye so well.
good luck,
Jennifer

Hi there,
We are trying to dye a light blue pair of kids fur slippers (kind that are like animals) for my grandson to go with his Halloween costume. We want them to be green. My daughter bought yellow dye and followed the instructions and they looked green until we washed them .. now they are back to little blue. Any suggestions on how to or if they can be dyed? Thanks
Hi,
1. Try fabric paint. Look over all the kinds available at Michael's. If you don't find anything, check out the catalog at www.dharmatrading.com.
2. This kind of synthetic fur can't really be dyed, it can only be "painted" over. You won't get an exact color change, but you can at least get the green that will suffice for Halloween.
3. You could also try Simply Spray. www.simplyspray.com. This could possibly work. happy Halloween!
Jennifer

Hi. I stumbled across this site and was hoping you could help. I'm a youth minister, and I have heard of someone doing a little object lesson, but don't know how to pull it off. The object lesson is taking a white piece of fabric, dipping it in some kind of black/blue dye or other dark liquid, and then they dip it back in a clear liquid which turns the fabric right back to the original white color. (In case you're wondering, the spiritual significance is talking about a person being pure - white fabric - but then letting themselves get dirtied up with sin - dark dye - and then turning to God to become clean again). Let me know if you have heard of this or if you know what materials/liquids/dyes I could use to do this. Thanks!
Dear Chris,
I'm not familiar with anything that will behave as you describe. If you want you can call Dharma Trading & see what they say. They have all kinds of chemicals & tools & might have something. www.dharmatrading.com. have fun with kids,
Jennifer

I purchased a really nice dress from HSN and the color is not what I expected it to be. I love the dress and really don't want to return it. Can you please explain how I can die it a different color. Any help in this matter will be greatly appreciated. The washing label says to use cold water wash only.The label also states that it is 100% Polyester. Again, thank you in advance for all the help you can give in this matter
Dear JH,
Polyester cannot be dyed by mere mortals. If you really want to pursue it, you could consult with Sherry at www.fabricdyeing.com. I think she will say the same thing.
Sorry,
Jennifer

Dear Jennifer, I just read your articles on dying different fabrics and came across a question on dying carpet with RIT dye. It can be done. I recently moved into a house that obviously had blue carptet once upon a time. It had since faded out to a really wierd aqua light green color. It was blue where the furniture of the previous owners had been sitting. I used RIT's denim blue and it turned out beautiful. I've had alot of compliments on it and 2 people offered to pay me to do theirs. Just thought I'd let you know.
Thank you for letting me know about this! How exactly did you apply the dye? Have you had any trouble with color coming off on anything? I am so glad you had a good experience! Do you know if your carpet is nylon or what the fiber content is?
best,
Jennifer

My son's school shirt which is navy blue has a very small patch where some residual bleach in the washing machine has removed the colour. Are there any products which allow a partial redyeing or touch up? any other advice? thanks Jane
Jane,
I am sorry, he will have to wear it like that or else get a new one. Household chlorine bleach cannot be overdyed. A dyehouse in Canada, www.dyeproservices.com, has a service of restoring bleach damage by removing all color & then overdyeing it. Check it out if you want to see how much it would be.
best,
Jennifer

I saw your earlier response to someone that you might possibly be able to dye a beige item white with bleach. I'm going to try it with something of mine, do you have any suggestions on how much bleach to use? Should I use detergent too in the wash or just bleach?
Dear Connie,
Keep in mind that you will be experimenting. Don't be too attached to the outcome or the item.
*The item must be a natural fiber.
*Start with 1/2 cup of chlorine bleach & detergent.
*You could also try Dharma Color Remover, www.dharmatrading.com. (While you are ordering this from Dharma, you will also need soda ash & Synthropol.) This sometimes works with commercially dyed items, sometimes not.
*The thread will not change in color.
good luck!
Jennifer

I want to dye the fabric of the seats in my car because they are very faded! The color of the fabric is a burgendy color and i would like to enhance and bring this burgendy color up to date by dying the fabric. I would like to know if you think it is possible or would you happen to know a better way of accomplishing this??? I would really like to do something!!! Please Help! Thank you..... Erica V
Dear Erica,
Your only real option is to try SimplySpray, a spray-on fabric dye. www.simplyspray.com. Check to see if they have any colors you like (it's mostly designed for spraying on tshirts). Remember you will be undertaking an experiment. There is no guarantee of the outcome. You must be willing to recover if you don't like how it comes out!
best,
Jennifer

Hello, MY name is Andy ive been working on a plan to redye my coat, i love how its all black and i spent $100.00 on puting a very cumfortable satin liner on the inside of the coat. however i found out that since it was dry clean only it should have been brought to the dry cleaners instead of put in the wash and dryer. so now my coat is fading in some spots, which i plan to fix, however im not exactly sure how to go about it. i want my satin liner to stay red but i know if i dye the coat it may turn purple or some other weird color. is there any way I could air brush the dye on theout side of the coat? whats your advice on this matter? ive included 2 pictures to show you what the coat looks like. thanks for your time Andy
Dear Dark Prince,
I can't offer you much hope here. Best suggestion is to go shopping for a new coat & then have the red lining moved to a new location. If you want to try it, you could get a can of simplyspray (www.simplyspray.com) in black & try spraying. You may make a bigger mess than you have now.
good luck,
Jennifer

I have a gold silk dress that I would like to dye white for my wedding. Is it possible to either dye or bleach this fabric? Is there a business that can do it? Or how would I do it myself? Thanks in advance, Crissy
Crissy,
You could try this but there is no guarantee of the outcome. I have had some luck in color removal from silk, while some commercially dyed garments & fabrics don't budge at all. Remember the trim, thread, & zipper (if any) will not change in color. If I were you I'd consult with Sherry at www.fabricdyeing.com. She can advise you further & possibly do it for you.
Jennifer

can you dye a white chiffon dress black?
Dear Amanda,
Please read my article on Fabric Dyeing 101 & then write back if you have further questions. Keep in mind black is a very hard color to get.
best,
Jennifer

hello. i have a dress that i am wanting to wear for my wedding. it's not designed to be a wedding dress. i purchased it at anthropologie.com. it is the "sojourn" dress under the "dress" section. it is a peachy color right now and i would really like to lighten it...to make it a little more on the cream/light side rather than peach. is there any way i can lighten it? i don't mind if some of the stitching remains a little darker than the rest of the dress. tag says:
100% nylon lining
100% viscose
made in india
care:
hand wash in cold
do not bleach
do not wring or soak
drip dry
dry flat in shade
do not tumble dry
do not iron net/lace
dry cleanable
is there anything i can do??? anyone i can take it to in the dallas, tx area?
your advice will be such a help! thank you....darrah dean
Hi Darrah,
Possibly you can lighten the dress. Keep in mind that this will be an experiment. If you feel confident that the dress can take HOT water & agitation, you can try Dharma's color remover (www.dharmatrading.com). You will also need soda ash & synthropol from Dharma.

If you want to consult the professionals, contact Sherry at www.fabricdyeing.com & see what she says. best wishes!!
Jennifer

Hi Jennifer, I have a dress that is made of 59% rayon/41% acetate. It is a dark navy blue. It is still noticeably blue & not black though. Is it possible to dye this fabric to a true deep black? Please let me know. Thanks! Cherrie
Hi Cherrie,
Sorry, you can't move this to a true dark black. Acetate is not dyeable & you might end up with a lighter blue than you have there if you try. best,
Jennifer

I have a problem I am looking for a solution for. I was at a Renaissance Festival last week, wearing a dress I made for such occasions. I sat on the edge of the fountain while eating my lunch without realizing they had put bleach in the water. My cotton velveteen dress now has bleach streaks on it. I would like to see if it is fixable, perhaps through dying (spot dying or the whole thing). I've tried dying a swatch of the leftover scrap (I always keep leftover scrap) and the results aren't too good. The bleached spot is still lighter than the rest and the velveteen doesn't look or feel as smooth where I dyed it. I'm afraid to dye the whole thing until I know it won't be ruined. Of course, in its present condition, it is already ruined. ;-( Any advice? - Gabrielle
Dear Gabrielle,
I am sorry, I think you have a mess there. It is possible to fix a bleach spot but very expensive & elaborate. You would have to send the dress to Canada where they do such things. I don't have any idea how much it would cost. If you want to consult with the service there, contact them at www.dyeproservices.com & see if it is a possibility.
best,
Jennifer

Hi Jennifer, I have a couch that I purchased from someone and the upholstery has fading that's occurred from sunlight. The upholstery is removable and the cushions also have removable covers. I am trying to figure out what the material of the covers. I went to the website where the item was purchased and the color is like an olive/sage color which is discontinued. I've narrowed it down to two possibilities. It could be (1) 100% cotton upholstery or (2) 40% poly, 30% cotton, 18% viscose, 8% wool 4% nylon. I'm wondering if there is a possibility to re-dye the fabric so that the fading would be evened out or even covered completely. Janet
Dear Janet,
for this I am going to send you to Sherry at www.fabricdyeing.com. You can't do the job yourself & she is a pro at such things. Best results will be obtained if the fabric is all cotton. How you can discern if they are the other fabric content combination is: poly & rayon are slightly shiny & smoother; any wool content will be a bit coarser & more scratchy. Compare your fabric to a pair of all-cotton khaki pants or a woven shirt. This is what you are feeling for.
good luck
Jennifer

I bought a sweatshirt that has a white fabric strip down both arms, the color of the sweatshirt is maroon. I washed the sweatshirt (gentle cycle, cold water) and let it dry on a hanger. The color bled into the white stripe and I was wonder if there was a way and the best way to remove the color out of the stripe. Thank-You! Berta
Berta,
You can try treating the bleeding areas with stainstick & then the entire garment with Retayne, which is available at www.dharmatrading.com. If I were you I would take it back. The vendor needs to know what they are selling.
Jennifer

how do you dye cotton? because i am in year 7 and we have to do a project about cotton. i am doing the project about how you dye cotton. Meg
Hi Meg,
Here are some sites to check out for this info:
www.dharmatrading.com
www.prochemical.com
You can also search at www.askjeeves.com & see what you turn up.
Have fun!
Jennifer

Hi, I recently purchased a toile quilt (king size) and sheets. The toile print is black and the background is white... too white for the bedroom decor. I would like to soften them (and even "age" them a bit) by dyeing them to an ivory or off-white tone. I'm struggling with what the best method would be to do this especially given the size of the sheets and quilt. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks, Kim
Hi Kim,
If you can fit them one at a time in your washer, you can move them toward ivory using the reactive dyes from www.dharmatrading.com. The most important thing making the whole project feasible is the fiber content of your sheets & comforter! If you can't fit the comforter in your washer (& its top fabric is all cotton), then you can have Sherry do it at www.fabricdyeing.com. Please read my article on Fabric Dyeing 101 (link at the top of my column on fabrics.net) for basic info.

The Dharma website & catalog have loads of information too. Start with a small amount of ivory or ecru dye - like 1-2 teaspoons per washer load.
good luck,
Jennifer

Thanks, Jennifer. This info is very helpful! I've checked on the dharmatrading.com web site and noticed that it says I'll need to use soda ash to set the dye. Is this necessary for my project, too? If so, given that I'll be using less than the 4 oz, will the soda ash packaging tell me how much to use (and when to use it)? Again, I really appreciate your help! I will read the article on your web site, too. I'm quite a novice at this! Kim
Yes, when you order the dye, also get some soda ash and synthropol. You will use the same amt of soda ash no matter how much dye you use. The soda ash amount is based on the weight of the dyeing load or the gallons of water in a load. For example, I use 1/3 cup soda ash for the smallest load (about 4 gallons) in my washer. You will also need ordinary table salt. You can get a 25 lb bag at Sams very cheap. Dharma has some good instructions on their how-to pages; you can also look at www.prochemical.com for their instructions.
have fun!
Jennifer

Is it possible to successfully dye a white fabric blend of 55% rayon and 45% polyester lined with 100% polyester lining? The garment is a formal blouse. If so, what type dye? Thank you for any information.
Please read my article on Fabric Dyeing 101. The link is at the top of the Dizzylettuce page at fabrics.net. I really doubt that you will be satisfied with trying to dye this garment unless you want a very pale pastel color.
Sorry,
Jennifer

Hi, I have a pair of navy blue silk pants that I love. The dry cleaners were too enthusiastic about taking out spots and now there are three white spots. The pants are not wearable. I was hoping that there is a way to dye the pants again. Do you know of anyone who does this? The pants are part of a suit, so I'd love to save them if possible. Thank you. Becca Lee
Becca,
I don't know if they can be saved. You can consult with the following dye houses:
www.fabricdyeing.com
www.dyeproservices.com
good luck,
Jennifer

What is the best way to dye a white cotton button-down shirt ecru or off-white?
Get a copy of the catalog from www.dharmatrading.com & study it carefully. You will be working with the reactive dyes (these require soda ash & table salt). Be sure to study my article on Fabric Dyeing 101 (link at the top of my column). Remember you will be undertaking an experiment!
have fun,
Jennifer

Hi jennifer,
I am a third year fashion student, and i am currently working on my final collection.I wanted my fabric to be dide so it looked hand-tinted, like hand tinted photographs. I havent a clue if this is possible, or if it is how to go about doing it. Please help. Marina
Marina,
I am sure there's a way to get this effect but I can't tell you much without knowing the exact fiber content, the color you want, & the special effects (ombre, gradation, etc) that you want. Get a catalog from www.dharmatrading.com & study their products & instructions. Get some scraps of your fabric & experiment.
have fun & happy creating!
Jennifer

Hello, I was wondering... I have a costume party on Saturday, and i am going as a fire spirit... I have the perfect shirt, but it's black. It is 92% Poliester, and 8% spandex... I don't know if i spelled that right... heh... Anyways, i bought some bright red dye, and i wanted to knwo if there is any way to drain the black shirt of it's color (or at least some of it), so that i could dye it red. Please respond soon... Love, Bailey PS. I've tried Clorox bleach, but that hasn't done anything...
Hi Bailey,
The costume & your presentation sound wonderful. Unfortunately you can't do anything with the polyester shirt. Go shopping at a thrift store for the right color.
love,
Jennifer

 

You can ask Jennifer questions at dizzylettuce@Fabrics.net.

Jennifer Thompson Miller: I love my work in beautiful textiles, color, trim, and design! I am a devoted student of fashion history and love vintage and vintage-inspired looks. For many years, my main focus was fashion sewing, using natural fibers in beautiful colors. In recent years, much to my delight, I have learned color mixing and silk dyeing. This has added a vibrant, versatile dimension to my fashion design.

I learned design and needlework from my mother and grandmother, and I am very grateful for their inspiration and instruction. Some of my earliest memories are spending time in the fabric store, while my mother designed and picked out fabrics for glamorous outfits. From the age of ten, my mother and other fashion-conscious ladies would ask my opinions on fabrics that they were combining.

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