Fabric Dyeing Questions

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March Questions

I recently bought a pair of (brand new) corduroys. I'm always looking for ways to change the clothes I buy and I'd like to dye these. They are currently a light, baby blue. I'd like to go to a deep, dark, red. Is it possible? I'm in NYC, so I figure if there's anywhere in the world where a quality fabric dyer exists, it would be here. Or can I just bring the pants in to a cleaner or tailor? Totally clueless. Thanks.
Dear Trinity,
There is indeed a place relatively near you that will dye a single garment. Check out www.sampledyeing.org. Or you can get some reactive dye, salt, & soda ash & do it yourself. Everything (except salt) is available from www.dharmatrading.com. I suggest fire red reactive dye. You will need to use a lot.
Have fun & keep creating!
Jennifer

We live in Ottawa Canada and recently bought a sofa and love seat with white cotton slipcovers on it. We thought we would be able to get these dyed, but are unable to find anyone in the area who does this. Can you help? Thanks
Jackie
This is a job for Sherry at www.fabricdyeing.com. You can also consult with the folks at www.sampledyeing.org. They are in New Jersey & slightly closer to you.
good luck,
Jennifer

Jennifer,
I have a wedding coming up in March and I am a bridesmaid.The bride delegated different colors for each bridesmaid and mine is light blue or sky blue. I found a wonderful dress in the JCREW catalogue this spring but it was only available in white. It is a lightweight seersucker strapless dress. Is there a safe way of doing this? Should I take it somewhere to get professionally done? I live in Los Angeles, so I assume if those places exist, there would be one here.
Can you help me?
Sincerely,
Margaret
Dear Margaret,
There are just too many variables to making the JCrew dress come out blue. I really wouldn't try it. At the very least, the thread with which it is sewn will not dye & you will have a blue dress with more or less prominent white thread detailing.

Cut the dress out of the catalog & take it to a seamstress or one of your friends who sews. See what they recommend about constructing a similar thing. If you cannot find the fabric in the color you desire, it could be dyed at that point, before it is sewn. Keep in mind that the fabric must be all natural fiber, that is, cotton, silk, linen, or rayon, in order to take the dye.

The other alternative would be to keep looking for a suitable dress as is. Check out designer consignment as well as retail.
good luck,
Jennifer

i have 100% cotton white with large pink flower design curtains, can i dye these a plain blue color?
Dear Angela,
You can dye them, and you will get blue curtains with blue-pink flowers. You cannot dye them to a solid color. The thread will probably not take the dye, so be aware that the stitching, hem, etc. will remain white. Sometimes this is noticeable & annoying, other times not.

Please read through my column for information on Rit, the reactive dyes, & other types of dye.
Have fun,
Jennifer

I am wondering if there is a way to dye an overstuffed chair that I own. It is in good shape, but the colors are wrong. I would like to dye it a solid color. Thank you
Claudia
Dear Claudia,
Sorry, the answer is no, especially if the fabric is not a solid color to start out with. There are some fabric treatments that you can do, like paint using the Jacquard fabric paints. But dyeing, no. Please see my column of July 20 for further comments.
Jennifer

Dear Jeniffer ,
Could you please explain me what is fabric wicking finish.
Thks & Regards
Tushar
Dear Tushar,
Here is what the great guru of fabrics.net, Judith, has to say in response to your question:

To my knowledge there isn't a finish that is considered fabric wicking finish. Malden Mills at http://www.maldenmills.com may have information but perhaps he is just trying to find what "wicking" means? There is a great web site that has so much information, FabricLink at http://www.fabriclink.com. If there is such a finish, it is proprietary and the owners of the process won't give on the information including the new performance fibers and fabrics.

good luck,
Jennifer

we have purchased a brand new couch-reclyner and now has spilled bleach spots over most of the back side and the cushions. Is there a spray dye that can cover up the bleached spots, they are not white but a lighter shade of the country blue and noticeable. Thank-You
Danielle
Dear Danielle,
I am sorry, you cannot fix this with a simple spray-on method. Unfortunately, you must make slipcovers or get the thing recovered. Bleach is a very difficult "stain" to deal with & upholstered furniture impossible to dye in any case.
Sorry,
Jennifer

Hi Jennifer,
I took a chance on buying a washable suede jacket that was either sun faded or just dirty in a few spots. After washing it, I now know that it's a case of fading. It's a grey blue, close to the look of faded jeans. Can I dye it at home? Thanks for any help!
Mari
Dear Mari,
I am assuming that your washable suede piece is ultrasuede, which is polyester. You cannot dye this fabric. However, if you are interested in taking on an art project, you could make something really interesting with fabric paints & dyes, sponging, painting, stamping, etc. Get a copy of the catalog from www.dharmatrading.com & read over all their fabric dyes & paints. Look in the back for their books on fabric art. Or you can go to a big newsstand & look for magazines on stamp art, wearable art, etc. You'll see loads of ideas.

You might have stumbled on to a really fabulous creative career!
have fun,
Jennifer

I am making a memory quilt out of old photos that I have scanned and then printed (with an ink jet printer) on the fabric paper that goes into the printer. My only worry now is will the ink run if it is washed? I set the ink by pressing it with an iron but wondered if it needs soaked in something to further set the color. I have heard that vinegar sets color but then also salt water will do it. Do you have any ideas that will work for me? I don't want to ruin my project by doing the wrong thing. Thank You.
Linda
Dear Linda,
I only have experience with the inkjet printed silk fabric. The instructions say to wash before using, but in my experience the ink faded considerably.

My friend Joan, a wonderful quilter of crazy quilt handbags & other art pieces, has this to say to your question:

I use these fabric photo transfers all the time, but I don't worry about colorfastness, because I tend to make pieces that don't require washing. However, I think that if Linda does plan to launder her memory quilt, she should scan and print a trial photo transfer and launder it to check for colorfastness. If the color runs or fades, she should do other trial runs utilizing the salt water or vinegar to see what works. If nothing works, then she'll know that her quilt will not be washable.

If you absolutely have to have it washable, I would suggest the plastic-y transfers that are waterproof. With these, you print on your printer to a transfer medium, then iron them on your fabric.

Good Luck & hope this helps!
Jennifer

I was wondering if I were to dye eyelet, would the stitching take the color or not? I think it would be a nice, dramatic effect to do pink, purple, green, orange, etc. with the white embroidery.
Dear Tracy,
Experiment & find out! If the eyelet is cotton & polyester, which most is, you will have a pale version of the dye color with white thread. In any event, it's cheap enough to see what you get.
Have fun,
Jennifer
Hi Jennifer,
I'm interested in dying my wedding dress (ivory color now) to a medium to dark blue or black. It's a simple dress (actually a bride's maid's dress) with no beads or embroidery. It's made of georgette and satin fabrics. The dress came in any color I wanted so I would think this could be done professionally. Do you have any suggestions where to get this done in northern California?
Thanks,
Shannon
Dear Shannon,
It all depends on the fiber content of the fabric. If it is polyester or acetate, it cannot be dyed. If it is silk or rayon, you have a possibility there. The professional to talk to is Sherry at www.fabricdyeing.com. Although she does live in your neighborhood (or at least your region), she dyes things for people all over the place.
good luck,
Jennifer

Hello!
I am constructing a silk charmeuse evening dress of two layers that I would like to ombre dye green and blue. I'm kinda of the opinion that I would like the under layer to be a lighter color than the over layer.

How difficult is it to do an ombre dye technique? I've got some experience with washing machine and stove top dying, but only solid colors and never silk.

Should I dye the two layers seperately and then sew them together?

What can I expect to pay if I take the dress to a professional dyer in Los Angeles?

Thank you for your help! I've attached a photoshopped image of my dress concept.

Jenny
Dear Jenny,
Your dress design is beautiful & your project admirable! I do not have any experience with ombre dyeing. Here's what I would recommend for your research stage: Get a copy of the catalog from www.dharmatrading.com & look at their books on special effects dyeing. See if you can find something that addresses the technique you want.

Get some yardage of the silk that you are planning to use & experiment with colors. Silk is easy to dye, but with the reactive dyes it goes toward pink & drops out some values. The greens/blues are fairly close to their values. It's just if you want a dark red or brown that you will need to adjust. You can also use the dyes specifically for silk that dharma carries. They are truer to color but must be steam-set.

I definitely would dye the layers separately. Alternatively, you could use a silk gauze for the top layer, which is so airy it will turn out lighter in any event.

I am not aware of any professional dyeing service that would take on this project. You can talk to Sherry at www.fabricdyeing.com. However, it is my understanding that she does only solid color work.

This is going to be truly beautiful & a big learning project!! Have fun!
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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