Fabric Dyeing Questions

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April/May

I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE FOLLOWING.

I WOULD FIRST LIKE TO GIVE THE BACK GROUND OF THE INFORMATION I REQUIRE.

WE HAD SHIPPED APROX 120000 METER OF 100% VISCOUSE FABRIC IN GREY. (IT IS 40 COUNT LIGHT WEIGHT TWILL- ) THE CONTAINER GOT FIRE AT THE PORT OF DISCHARGE- MORE THEN 50% OF THE CONTAINER GOT DAMAGED INSIDE AS WELL AS OUTSIDE.

THE GOODS GOT DAMAGED BY THE WAY OF FIRE, EXCESSIVE HEAT, SMOKE INSIDE THE CONTAINER- AND WATER (THIS WAS USED BY THE FIRE BRIGADE)-

MOST OF THE GOODS DAMPENED WITH WATER WHICH WAS USED TO CONTROL THE FIRE.

5 MONTHS ALREADY PASSED- THE GOODS ARE KEPT AS IT IS - IN A CUSTOM WHAREHOUSE -

I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WEATHER THE STRENGTH OF THE GREY FABRIC WILL REMAIN THE SAME- WHEN THE GOODS ARE NOT DRIED- AND LEFT WITHOUT ANY CARE AFTER THE FIRE WAS TAKEN CONTROL OF IN A DAMPENED CONDITION. IS IT WORTH SPENDING MONEY TO CLEAR THE DAMAGED CARGO- WILL IT BE WORTH TO DYE AND FINISH THE GOODS WHICH ARE NOT BURNED- BUT DAMPENED IN WATER FOR THE LAST 5 MONTHS- WILL THE STRENGTH REMAIN THE SAME.

THKS RGDS B.PANDA

Dear Panda,
What a story! What a question!!
Considering that viscose is a natural fiber (made of cellulose), & that it has been wet in a closed container for 5 months, I don't think that the fabric could retain its original strength. Mold & mildew will break down natural fibers if left for any extended period of time. Mold will also interfere with the fabric's ability to take any new dye. It removes the original color at an uneven rate. Smoke damage is really nasty, too. It is very difficult to get the smell out of any fabric, especially one that has been sitting for a long time. In effect, the answer is no dice on this long-suffering fabric. I suggest that you call your insurance company, & sell this fabric to the fiber recyclers for whatever you can get.
Jennifer

Dear Jennifer:

I am an experienced home sewer and have been interested in learning to dye my own fabrics. I saw your website and am very interested in getting some information from you.

Could you guide me on how to get started? I know nothing about this. Also, is there a newsletter associated with you that I could sign up for?

I would love to hear back from you, and thank you in advance.

Sincerely,
Marie

Dear Marie,

I am excited about your interest in fabric dyeing! It is really fun, greatly rewarding (you can see the results of your work right away), & quite creative.

Asking about fabric dyeing in general is sort of like asking about "car repair" or "banking." This is a huge subject & the answer depends on what you want to do with the end result. Many people get started in this field because they are quilters who cannot find the exact shade that they want - or they want a family of shades to create a particular effect. Others are artists who want a new medium. As for me, I love color, texture, & fabric, & became curious to see what I could do if turned loose on apparel & accessories.

The reactive dyes work vividly & easily on cotton, like cotton t-shirts, quilter's cotton, muslin, etc. They also work beautifully on silk & rayon, but the results are a bit more unpredictable.

The best place to begin learning about fabric dyeing using the reactive dyes is www.dharmatrading.com. The good folks at Dharma have been in the biz of color & fabric for over 30 years. They began as a supplier to the tie-dyeing trade. Look at their website, then request a copy of their catalog. The catalog is an education in itself. Plunge in & experiment! You can write back to me with specific questions & I will do my best! Have fun!

Jennifer

I have a beautiful, blue suede coat with blue fox collar that my husband bought for me in Venice. I made the mistake of wearing it on an open boat to a New Year's Eve party in the Bahamas. Coming home there was a squall, the coat got soaked with salt water and has discolored. Who, if anyone could dye the coat. Any help you can give me would be appreciated.

Dear Farside,

A quick search of the internet turned up Coronet Leather in Denver. They dye & refurbish leather & suede of all kinds. You may have to settle for a darker blue - I doubt if they can restore the coat to its exact color. Take a look at their website - www.coronetleather.com. They are used to providing services for people around the country, & are set up to receive & return leather work that is shipped to them.

Good luck! Your coat sounds beautiful & I hope that it can be satisfactorily restored.
Jennifer

I am making a costume out of cotton flannel. I want to dye it another color using Rit in hot water. I believe I bought enough fabric for the pattern. I had to recalculate it since it did not come in 60" width. However I am concerned that I will have a mess on my hands. So I am at 44" and worried that the fabric will get even narrower and I wont have enough. I did think of folding the fabric crosswise for laying out the pattern. Do pattern companies take shrinkage into consideration and allow extra yardage? Did they do this 20 years ago? The pattern is that old. If the pattern companies do allow for shrinkage I am still afraid that I will come up short since I am "messing with it" so much. Short of laying the pattern pieces out (I need to twice for some pieces since it is lined) and seeing, is there an easy answer? Should I be worried?
Thanks,
Becky

Dear Becky,

Well, you have worked yourself up into a frenzy over this! But I think it is simpler than all that. In general, cotton fabric does not shrink much in width. It is in the lengthwise that shrinkage will occur. So you will end up with less yardage - probably about 10% less at the most. (I work a fair amount with cotton bubble gauze, which is notorious for shrinkage. I allow 15% shrinkage for dyeing with this stuff. It is loosely woven - your flannel is more tightly woven & probably won't shrink that much.)

Another thing you can do to minimize shrinkage is to hang the fabric to dry. Even though you may be processing it with hot water, the dryer is still a big shrinkage influencer.

Here's another idea: if you use the reactive dyes you can dye with warm (not hot) water. You'll also get a much more vivid color. You will need ordinary table salt and soda ash, in addition to the dye. Look at the instructions for vat dyeing at www.dharmatrading.com. Everything that you need (except the salt) is available there. Send me a note if you have any questions. It's really easy.

If you are really worried, wash the stuff in warm water & do a rough layout of the pattern pieces to see what you have. It won't shrink much more than that in the hot water process.

Have fun & send me a photo of the costume!!
Jennifer

Hi Jennifer,

I'm sure you've answered dozens of these questions. I have finally found a bridesmaid dress. I'd like to dye it if possible, but I'm unsure whether I can and if so, where to get it done. The dress is 75% triacetate and 25% polyesther. Any help you could give would be great!

Thanks,
Amy

Dear Amy,

Sorry, you cannot dye polyester or acetate. Dyeing works best on natural fabrics, such as linen, cotton, silk, & rayon. I know, I know, someone dyes polyester & so forth - but they do it at the factory, using very intense, potentially toxic chemicals, in a controlled situation, before the garment is constructed.

Here's an option: take a picture or make a sketch of the dress you like. Find the fabric in a color you like - or have a piece of silk dyed to your color. Take the whole thing to a dressmaker & have them make the dress. Many seamstresses specialize in making gowns from your sketch.

Have fun, enjoy the creative process, have a great wedding!
Jennifer

i have a navy blue and tan stripe crouch.is there anyway i can use dye to make it navy?and can i use rit dye to dye my carpet?

Dear Christy,

Sorry, you cannot dye your sofa or the carpet. You could conceivably make an interesting art project out of the sofa by painting with dye or fabric paint. However, if you want an even color, there is no chance that it will come out like that. Get some slipcovers in the new color or look for a new sofa.

I have successfully dyed all-cotton bath rugs with reactive dyes. But synthetic carpet or rugs will not take dye at all & will result in a big mess.

Good luck with redecorating!
Jennifer

HI JENNIFER

I HOPE THAT YOU CAN HELP ME. I SPLURGED AND BOUGHT A BEAUTIFUL BLACK SKIRT AND WHEN I WAS APPLYING MY MAKE-UP I NOTICED A DOT OF IT ON MY SKIRT. I TRIED TO RUB IT OFF WITH WATER AND MADE IT MUCH WORSE. THERE IS A LIGHT SPOT ON IT NOW AND I WOULD LIKE TO RE-DYE THE WHOLE SKIRT, BECAUSE THE SPOT IS IN THE FRONT OF THE SKIRT AND NOTICEABLE. CAN YOU SUGGEST EITHER A METHOD FOR ME TO TRY OR SOMEONE (PERHAPS YOURSELF) WHO WOULD BE ABLE TO HELP ME. I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR RESPONSE.
DIANE

Dear Diane,

Well, there are several things to try here. The very first thing I would do it to take it to the finest dry cleaners in your town for a consultation. Make up is generally soluable, & silk, being a natural fiber, can be cleaned.

Alternatively, depending on the fit, cut, & construction of the skirt, you could wash the skirt by hand in Woolite for black fabrics. What you want to avoid here is shrinkage or changing the finish of the fabric. If it is very fitted or tailored, or has a shiny, smooth finish to the fabric, then immersing in water may change what you have there.

Now for your question on dyeing. Dyeing black is possible, but it is the hardest color to get. Again, it depends on the fabric & cut of the skirt. Dyeing involves immersing the fabric in warm water, so shrinkage & fabric stress are always possibilities.

Good luck, & let me know if you would like further information. A lot depends on the fabric & its construction at this point. If nothing can help your beautiful skirt, & you truly love it, you could take it to a dressmaker & have one exactly like it constructed.
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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