Fabric Dyeing Questions

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March Questions

Dear Jennifer,
Is is possible to dye (tint) pearls with Rit Dye? Obviously, I don't mean genuine pearls, but the costume variety. Thanks for whatever information you can give me.
Joann
Joann,
I really don't know about this. You could try it & see. There are small packets of reactive dyes at Michaels in limited colors. Start there. If that doesn't work, get a catalog from www.dharmatrading.com & read it carefully. You might be able use an airbrush paint - but these have to be heat-set, either in the oven or with a hair dryer.

In general, no dye is going to stick to plastic or acrylic, so you are not going to be able to dye the outside surface. There may be some surface of the faux pearl, like the inside perhaps (along the drilled area), that dye will adhere to.

Seems like it would be easier to buy pearls in the color you desire.
Have fun!
Jennifer

I cannot find silk charmeuse yardage in the right soft peach/salmon color. If I purchase a champagne color charmeuse can I dye it? If so, what kind of dye should I use? And where might it be available? Thanks for your help :) Maureen
Dear Maureen,
First, search here at fabrics.net to see if you can find the color you want. If you still can't find it, you can get ready-to-dye charmeuse at www.dharmatrading.com. They carry the dye too, but if you are going to do it yourself, you will need to experiment, because the reactive dyes take to silk slightly differently from the colors illustrated.

Check out Sherry's colors at www.fabricdyeing.com to see if she has anything you like in her stock colors. The easiest thing might be to have her dye the fabric. In fact, I would talk with her before you buy any fabric, because you are going to have some shrinkage, etc.

have fun & good luck!
Jennifer

Dear Jennifer
I am doing research for a friend of mine=she likes silk and velvet because they feel smooth on her skin and are luxurious fabrics.

what are best silk/velvet materials to dye, what types of dyes you offer, and pricing info.... also, if you can inform me of the application uses I would appreciate it.

oh, also, what is best material to use that is machine washable, and waterproof

thank you for your assistance
mike
Dear Mike,
you can find the answers to all your questions at www.dharmatrading.com. All the silks & velvets they sell there are dyeable & washable. Just keep in mind the original dyeing process will result in some shrinkage, so buy extra fabric to start. Another place to look is www.prochemical.com. They carry some fabrics & a few more dye colors.
have fun,
Jennifer

I bought a new chandelier with 12 silk shades. The only problem is that the shades are stark white. Is there a way to "dye" them to a golden beige? Linda
Dear Linda,
You could experiment with this if you are willing to be unattached to the outcome. First, determine if the shades are actually 100% silk or if they are synthetic made to look like silk. If they are not real silk, they cannot be dyed.

If you have real silk there, get a catalog from www.dharmatrading.com & read about fabric dyeing. If this were my project, I would get a medium sized bucket, & in this bucket mix warm water, soda ash, salt, & the diluted dye color that you want. Mix a little bit of dye first - like 1 teaspoon into about 3 gallons of water (dissolve first in hot water, then pour this into the bucket of warm water. Figure out the proportions of the chemicals from the instructions in the catalog for using the reactive dyes.

Using rubber gloves, dip the shades into the bucket one at a time, for a measured number of seconds. When you get close to the color you want, put the shade down on some newspaper. Measuring the seconds will assist you to get all the shades close to the same color. Do this on the kitchen floor or outside on the porch.

The factors that will influence the color you get will be 1) the amount of dye dissolved in the bucket, & 2) the length of time you have the shade submerged in the dye solution.

There are a few reasons why this might not work! But if you are willing to try it, it might come out fine. If you try it, write back & tell me what happened!

have fun,
Jennifer

Dear Jennifer:
On a recent trip to Mexico I purchased two red pillow covers made from a combination of embroidered pieces of old/older huipiles (a type of dress worn by indigenous women in southern Mexico) and another indigenous fabric (I think it's cotton) . While unpacking upon my return home, I found, to my dismay, that the dye had rubbed off on my clothes. Is there any way to solve this problem so that I can use the covers on the pillows on my sofa? Thanks for your help. Carla
Dear Carla,
This is a tough situation, but here are some things to try. Go to www.dharmatrading.com & get 2 products: dharma color fixative & synthropol. First, wash the pieces in warm water in the machine (gentle) with synthropol. This will take out excess dye & prevent the dye from bleeding through the piece. If necessary, clean the inside of your washer with 409 or a similar kind of liquid cleaner. Next, treat with color fixative according to instructions. I don't know how it will come out, but it's your best shot.
good luck,
Jennifer

My sister bought some cotton fabric to hang on a curtain rod over her bed. Though the color looked right in the store, when she got home, she found that the rose color was too bright. Is there any way to lighten it?
Thank you.
If you want to experiment, you can put the fabric in the washer with a cup of chlorine bleach. This may or may not produce the desired result.

When shopping for fabric, it's sometimes useful to take the bolt on to the sidewalk & look carefully at one layer of the color. Fabric wrapped into a bolt will intensify color.

Even though I work in fabric & color every day, I still don't remember every nuance accurately. Take swatches of what you want to match with you to the fabric store.

Having said all that, everyone makes errors at times. You may be able to tone down the color with bleach; you may have to start over.
good luck,
Jennifer

Hi Jennifer,
I bought a pair of "Dyelights" dyeable shoes and need to know how to do it myself (need them in 6 days). I bought some turquoise fabric dye (urea) at the craft store. Now what do I do? Should I dip them or brush it on? Should the shoes be damp or wet if I use a brush? Is a hair dryer hot enough to set the color? I really enjoy your advice column.
Thanks,
Maureen
Dear Maureen,
I really don't know the answer but here's what I would do if I were you. 1. Follow instructions as best you can on the package of dye. 2. Dampen the shoes with a wet, clean brush before you start. 3. Apply one coat of dilute dye quickly and as evenly as possible. Let it dry to see what color you have there. Try a sponge-type paint brush. 4. If desired, apply another coat.

If the dye instructions say that the color must be heat-set, your only real choice is to use a hair dryer. If you only plan to wear the shoes a few times, I wouldn't even worry about the heat-set. This is mainly for things that are going to be washed. Take the shoes to the event in a bag & put them on once you are inside.

have fun!
Jennifer

I have read your page on dying fabric, and I’d like to give it a go, but I have never done this before!
The reason I’m having to do this is because I make Scottish highland vests and jackets. These are traditionally made out of cotton velvet, and the company which made the classic royal blue cotton velvet no longer makes that color.
I did manage to find some white cotton velvet (no mean feat in itself), and I am also willing to risk ruining the velvet.
A friend of mine sent me a contact for Prochemical (which apparently makes the reactive dyes that work well for cotton). He also stated that they have a color matching service. So far, so good.
How do I go about dying white cotton velvet so that I get the color completely even in the finished product? I would be attempting to dye a yard of fabric the first time, and if this works, I might expand my dying operations. The cotton velvet can be dried in the dryer, tumble dry low, and because I’m dying the fabric first, I don’t have to worry about shrinkage.
How would you do this?
Thanks!
Pamela
Dear Pamela,
The dyes are indeed available at Prochemical. In addition, both the cotton velvet (which is commonly called velveteen) and the dyes are available at www.dharmatrading.com. Both Prochemical & Dharma both have good instructions for vat dyeing in the washing machine.

In general, here are the steps:
1. Measure dry dye into a plastic container. Add one drop of dishwashing liquid. Dissolve with hot-warm water, stir until completely dissolved.
2. Run smallest warm water load in your washer. Pour in dissolved dye.
3. Add 4 cups of table salt.
4. When machine starts to agitate, add fabric. Since you are experimenting, measure your fabric before your put it in. Before & after measurements will give you an idea about how to account for shrinkage.
5. Agitate 5 min. Check color. If it's way too light, add more dye (dissolve first). Don't pour new dye directly on the fabric. If it's close to what you want, you can let it agitate more (most of my colors take about 8-9 minutes).
6. When color is approximately what you want, add 1/3 cup soda ash dissolved in a big cup of warm water. You can get soda ash from Dharma or from a pool supply place, where it's called PH Plus. Agitate 15 minutes.
7. Allow wash load to finish. Run another load washing with Synthropol (from Dharma). Use only about 1/2 capful or so until you figure out how much you need for your water system, washer, etc.

8. Put piece in dryer. Dry 5-10 minutes, line dry the rest of the way. Measure shrinkage.

Read all the instructions available from all the sites. You will figure it out with a big of trial & error. Have fun! I think you will be pleased with the results, & you may get hooked on fabric dyeing.
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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