Fabric Dyeing Questions

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May Questions

I have a wonderful black with white trim dress that is dry clean only, unfortunately while it was put into storage, the white turned yellow with age. I have tried having it cleaned, twice, to no avail. Is there a way to dye the white trim a different color (even black)? At this point the dress is ruined, so I am willing to try just about anything. The cleaners around here do not dye clothes(we live in a small town), so I am left to my own devices. Please help if you can. Thanks, Marti
Dear Marti,
You can consult with the following resources about having the dress dyed:
www.fabricdyeing.com
www.prodyeservices.com.
Otherwise there is not too much to do about it.
good luck,
Jennifer

Hi, I have a white jacket that's labeled dry clean only. It's a cotton/polyester/spandex blend with a liner. Is this impossible to dye?
Thanks,
Ysette
Ysette,
please read my article on Dyeing 101 that is on www.fabrics.net. It has a link at the top of my monthly column.

Nothing is impossible - but will you be pleased with the outcome? The lining & thread will not take the dye. IN addition, the fabric will undergo stress from a warm water based process.

If you want to consult with the professionals, contact the following dye services:
www.fabricdyeing.com
www.dyeproservices.com
good luck,
Jennifer

Is it possible to spray a small area rug with brewed tea in order to darken the color. It cannot be put in a washer and is too bright. Thank you
Dear Tava,
If you want to try it, you can see how it comes out. Depending on the fiber content, it just may work to produce the effect that you want. If the rug is synthetic, I have no idea if the tea stain will stick or if it will immediately come off or eventually rub off. If it is cotton, silk, or wool, you may have a possibility there. Try a small corner & see if you like the results!
Jennifer

Hi Jennifer
I have purchased a patio umbrella that is hunter green, but the top is terribly faded from the sun. Is there any way that I can dye that fabric? I read in one of your previous questions that fabric dying is a water-based process and my only fear is a rainstorm. Do you have any suggestions? The umbrella is in great shape, other than the fading.
Thanks! Barb
Dear Barb,
This kind of outdoor fabric is difficult to dye, since it is mostly synthetic & designed to be water repellent. You can consult with Sherry at www.fabricdyeing.com & see what she says, but the answer is probably No.
Sorry,
Jennifer

Dear Jennifer,
Hopefully you can help me. I bought a cotton sofa cover and tried to dye it black. I followed the directions exactly and even used an extra bottle of dye to insure I had enough. However, by the time it was rinsed it faded to a medium gray color. Is there anyway I can make this black? Thank you for any suggestions or help.
Sincerely,
Benita
Dear Benita,
Black is a very difficult color to obtain. I don't even try it myself. Here's my advice: get a copy of the catalog from www.dharmatrading.com. Study their instructions carefully on the black reactive dyes. You will need some basic chemicals (available locally or from Dharma) in addition to the dye. I suggest that you get Jet Black #250. You may have to repeat the process a few times.
good luck,
Jennifer

Hi Jeniffer,
My wife and I recently got our entire living room set rehupolstered. Each pillow is complicated with pleets and welts. The professional who managed to complete the set vowed he would not do anything like it again because there was so much sewing involved. The brown microfiber my wife and I choose when we brought it home seems to have a peach undertone that we absolutely hate. I was wondering if there is a chance that one might be able to successfully darken this fabric to a mocha.
Thanks for the help in advance,
Sean
Dear Sean,
Sorry, you can't change the color of the microfiber.
Jennifer

Help! I need to dye @ 20 pairs of pink pointe shoes...black. Can you reccomend a product and/or the best way to go about it? Thanks in advance for your time!
Jill
For this I would suggest the spray-on fabric dye available from Simply Spray. They carry it at Michaels or on line at www.simplyspray.com. Masking tape carefully over the part that you don't want to be black.

My friend who used to work for a florist also suggested a floral spray paint that will stick to anything. I don't know the name of it, but you could inquire at your local florist if you want to find it.

good luck!
Jennifer

HI
I 'think' I read somewhere that dying certain pastals will produce other colors. What I'm looking for is to dye 100% cotton different shades of tan and brown. I heard that lavendar or soft pinks 'may' produce tans and browns, but I can't remember what dye color to use to obtain the new color. I'm making cool ties for the troops and am using 100% cotton from yard sales, etc. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
Cara
Dear Cara,
You have a wonderful opportunity here to learn fabric dyeing. Get a catalog from www.dharmatrading.com & study it carefully. You can also purchase a color-mixing wheel from them. Then get going & try some stuff. You will have so much fun & create some beautiful stuff among the experiments. I suggest getting some of the following colors of the reactive dyes: dark brown, maroon brown, chocolate brown, brazilnut, & khaki. Try them over the colors that you have & see what you get!
Jennifer

Hi, I have been exploring your site. I am desperate to learn to dye some fabric and laces to use in pageant wear sewing. What I need to accomplish is to take heavy superstretch fabric, chiffon and organza and different fiber lace and dye them all the same color. I have no idea where to even start on this but as my business is expanding I need to learn how to do this. From what I have learned other designers are doing this to match the different fabrics together to create the dresses and sportswear with all the trims and fabrics being the same color. From the bit I thought I knew about dyeing fabric, I thought only 100% cotton could be dyed successfully. Where do I start to learn this process?
Any help is greatly appreciated!!!!
Debra
Dear Debra,
Someone wrote to me a few months ago on this very subject. She reported that she dyed synthetics by dipping them in airbrush paint. This type of fabric dye has to be heat set in the dryer. You will need to experiment to find out how it works as I have never done it. Get a copy of the catalog from www.dharmatrading.com & study it carefully. YOou will need to start with white or off-white fabric & trim in order to get all the same color.
good luck & have fun!!
Jennifer

Hi there,
I'm from glasgow in scotland and have an idea for a possible we money earner for the summer, but it all depends on one thing.... Whether or not there are spray paints that you can buy to spray on to cotton t-shirts that wont wash out or fade to much when put through the wash?? I like using/making stencils to make designs that i spray paint over. It gives a really nice efect and I thought that people may be interested but then thought they probably wouldnt be to happy if the design just washed off after a couple of washes??

I have used a brand of spray paint called "monster" which is great but i think it fades out a bit as well!

Do you know of any spray paints that are suitable for fabrics such as cotton???

Thanks for your time!
Cheers
Kern
Dear Kern,
There are loads of fabric paints for your purposes & most can be mixed & put in a spray bottle. In addition, there is a product of spray-on fabric dye. Check out these resources:
www.dharmatrading.com (for everything having to do with fabric & color)
www.simplyspray.com (permanent spray on fabric dye, very easy to use, colors are mixable)
good luck & have fun!
Jennifer
Texan of Scots heritage

Hi, I am trying to tea stain my white sheers. I would like to know if there is a certain tea that would give me a greenish color, like celery green. I have tried regular tea and it is very pretty, I have also tried green tea, same as regular. I would like to have a celery hue. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you, Liz
Dear Liz,
As you found, with tea, you only get brown. For green, you must use fabric dye. Please read my article on fabric dyeing on fabrics.net. This will give you the basics. Write back if you would like more info after you read this article.
good luck,
Jennifer

Hi
I'm writing from London, England and I'm hoping you'll be able to help. I bought a denim jacket (on e-bay) last week and when it arrived it was lovely and soft. I washed it in my machine at 40 with some non-bio and some fabric softener. I put it out on the washing line and when it was dry it was really hard and stiff.
Please can you tell me what I have done wrong, and how it can regain the lovely soft feel to the denim.
London has really hard water..... may this be the problem?
Also, I would like it just a little bit lighter - any hints on how to take it down a shade?
thank you very much
Lesley
Dear Lesley,
For softening effect, I would try the tumble dryer. You can put it on low or no heat if you are concerned about shrinkage. I personally abhor dryer sheets, but they do add loft & softness to stiff garments. You can also wear the jacket a few times to see if body heat & movement soften it up. As for lightening, I would start by washing it with a cup of rock salt. This distresses the denim somewhat and lightens in the process. Remember, you will be undertaking an experiment so don't be too attached to an exact outcome.
enjoy your jacket!
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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