Fabric Dyeing Questions

printer friendly version

June Questions

Information about dyeing the 3 piece living room suite which has loose covers and are pale cream they are a cotton material and we would like to dye them a sage green if its possible derby or nottingham area is the area we live thank you
Arthur,
The only place I know in the UK is Panny & Co. in London. Here's a link to their information: http://www.studios92.com/guide/garment_dyeing.htm. I think they do only a limited number of colors, but check it out for yourself.
Resources in North America are www.fabricdyeing.com & www.dyeproservices.com.
Keep in mind the fabric must be all cotton, no synthetic at all.
good luck!
Jennifer

I have a beautiful navy silk top. I think it is Indian silk (if there is such a thing) it is very light and flowy, not shiny though. My friend, thinking she was doing me a favour, decided to machine wash it (arrhh!) so as you can imagine most of the colour has come out of it. I want to re-dye it back to navy (or as close as). But the dyes I have found say that you can't use them on 'dry-clean' only fabrics. What actually happens if you dye a 'dry-clean' only fabric - do you have any suggestions on how I can save my top?
Hi Kate,
Dyeing is a water-based process, & since the blouse has already been washed, it survived water pretty well. So at this point you don't need to be concerned about "dry clean only."

Silk can be dyed with both the reactive dyes & the acid dyes available at www.dharmatrading.com or www.prochemical.com. Both sites have instructions. You may find the acid dyes easier. They require only white vinegar, but do require very hot water, either in the washer or on top of the stove (especially for a dark color like navy). You'll need to have a dedicated stainless or chip-free enamel pot for stove top work.

Please read my article on Fabric Dyeing 101 for basic information, & keep in mind that all dyeing is an experiment!!
best,
Jennifer

I have some white linen/cotton curtains and a white bedskirt. How do I dye them so that are an ivory or cream color? I don't want anything with a yellow or brown tone, just not BRITE white. Thanks
Susan,
If you can get these easily in your washer in one load, you can move them toward ivory or ecru with the reactive dyes from www.dharmatrading.com. Read all instructions carefully. If you can't get them in one load & you are willing to experiment with 2 dye lots, you can still try it. Otherwise contact Sherry at www.fabricdyeing.com. She can do it for you & get them all the same color.
best,
Jennifer

I am doing some research for my daughter, Kelley, who designs and sells baby slings online (www.kozycarrier). She is very creative and wants to start designing her own fabrics. Do you do this type work, or what would you advise? She would be ordering 100+ yards at a time of any given design. Thanks for any help or advice you could offer.
Hi Kayward,
runs of custom-designed fabrics usually start in the 5,000 yard vicinity. But, what a good idea. Another idea is to study color-on-fabric with all the tools & resources available at www.dharmatrading.com & see what she can come up with. I produce my custom-designed fabrics pretty easily in increments of 50-100 yards. However, I work (usually) in silk which is quick & a big piece will fit in the washer.
When you are ready to have fabrics manufactured, you can search for fabric on-line & will get lists of factories & also brokers in China & India. have fun!
Jennifer

I have an off-white woven canvas (on wood) chair and I need to dye the canvas beige. Is spray paint my best option (I can protect the wood with plastic which slides under the weaving), or is there some other option I am not aware of. Besides, is beige available in spray fabric paint?
Thank you very much.
Purnima,
I don't recommend painting or dyeing this chair canvas. If you can get the upholstered part off easily, you can cover right over it with a new fabric. Otherwise have the professionals do it.
sorry,
Jennifer

Thanks for your response. I was mistaken - it is not canvas, but cotton. Does that change anything? Can I use a sponge and rub the fabric paint/dye over the fabric weave?
Hi Purnima,
Canvas is the kind of fabric, cotton is the fiber content. The chair is lovely, but I think it's quite impractical to try to change the color. I can't recommend any method. However, you can try it if you are willing to completely experiment. Remember, dyeing is a water-based process that requires warm to hot water, agitation, & rinsing. Without rinsing, you may experience dye that adheres to people who sit on the chair.

Please read all the instructions at www.dharmatrading.com & www.prochemical.com for dyeing cotton. You can also check out www.simplyspray.com. They have spray-on permanent fabric dye, mostly in very bright colors.
best,
Jennifer

Hi Jennifer.. just found your site- For a wedding gift- I know how to emboss a velvet pillow w/ a hot iron and a rubber stamp, but; How do I transfer a photo to velvet - for a Memory Pillow? I thought someone used glue gel at one time -Is this correct? I can't seem to find any Photo Transfer Medium ( the consistency of gule) to use. Help, please- I must have it completely in several weeks! Thank you! Janet, a in-the- process-of-learning to be a self- taught artist.
Hi janet,
Dharma Trading (www.dharmatrading.com) has some silk & also cotton muslin fabric that you can load in your ink jet printer. This is a good way to transfer the photo. I am not sure that velvet is going to be a good medium. I suggest appliqueing the photo on silk onto the velvet for the pillow. You could trim is with some vintage trim & attach other keepsakes.
Keep creating!
Jennifer

hello. in your website you say that polyester cant be dyed, but can it be bleached? here's my problem, i ordered my wedding dress in ivory. the dress is chiffon with a polyester netting covering it. the netting is gathered in the front, and the many ivory layers on top of each other makes the dress look like its yellow in that area. i was thinking of trying to bleach only that area, which i know will be very tricky, or of sending the dress back and asking the dressmaker to replace the netting with white. please help! thanks a lot for you time :)
Hi Nina,
Sorry, this can't be bleached. If it really doesn't seem right to you, have a dressmaker replace it.
blessed wedding,
Jennifer

My friend has a large bolt of ecru lace she wants to use for curtains. They need to be white. If we use a color discharger will that work and be more gentle than bleach? Lace seems to be so hard to find nowadays. She loves the pattern of this particular lace. Thank you very much.
Dear Paulette & Lois,
It all depends on the fiber content of the lace. IF it is rayon or maybe even nylon it could possibly be lightened. You won't be able to change the color of polyester. You are right, it's difficult to find lace fabric.
best,
Jennifer

I have a couch that has denim slipcovers. I bought the couch with the slipcovers to fit. The sun has faded the denim in certain spots and I would like to dye them back to darker denim. Can I do this or will it be too blotchy? Thanks for your help.
Hi Joyce,
this is possible, but I wouldn't try it yourself. Consult with Sherry at www.fabricdyeing.com. If it's possible to get them to come out even, she will be able to do it.
best,
Jennifer

Hello. I am having a baseball themed wedding and I would like all of my bridesmaids to wear standard canvas sneakers. Am I able to dye those Navy Blue to match their dresses? Thanks!
Dear Lanie,
You could try it, but it will be an experiment. See if you can get Simply Spray textile spray paint in the color desired. Remember to mask off all the areas you don't want painted. Try one pair before proceeding.
many blessings for the wedding!!
Jennifer

Hi: My question is the total opposite. My husband bought a shirt that started to bleed when I was doing a presoak. I was able to get it out of the wash with the rest of the clothes before it did any damage. What can I do to set the dye so this won't happen again Thanks for your help
Hi Laura,
Dharma Trading sells a product that will set the dye, called Retayne. Check it out at www.dharmatrading.com & follow instructions carefully.
best,
Jennifer

Can you recommend a professional dying service in Chicago that would re-dye several faded Black items of clothing I have back to Black. Dave
Hi Dave,
you can do this yourself with the industrial dyes available at www.dharmatrading.com. Or, you can confer with the experts:
www.fabricdyeing.com
www.knitweardoctor.com
Both these are located in California, there are only a couple of places around the country that dye individual garments.
best,
Jennifer

I the bride in an informal garden wedding in three weeks. A wedding dress for this occasion was hard to find, since most are over-the-top or sundresses. The only thing I liked was a silk dress coming out of China--I ordered it in white and it came in very cream. I'm in dire straits--love the dress (hate the color), don't have any time to return it, and can't find anything else to settle for. So...I researched discharging dye from silk. Went to Dharma's site and figured my best option was to buy the soda ash-thiox-synthropol experiment. I have nothing to lose, because I'm not wearing the dress as it is. Here's the clencher: there is satin ribbon of the same cream color at intervals on the skirt of this dress. I understand that will not discharge? But I think it may lend a unique vintage flair if it stayed that way. Do you have any experience with discharging a cream color from silk (what color it might discharge to?) Any suggestions you have before I undertake this would be so appreciated! I included a photo to help. Basically, if I can get the silk part a few shades whiter (if not white) with out mottling the whole thing I'll be happy!
Dear Maggie,
Color discharger from Dharma is generally designed for cotton, linen, & rayon. In my experience, it is not as reliable for silk. You could try it if you are willing to experiment. I don't know what the ribbons will do. If they are polyester, they will not change in color.
I really don't have any other suggestions other than to look on ebay and at vintage shops. Maybe you can find something that will work!
many blessings for your wedding,
Jennifer

I have been looking for the perfect shoes for my wedding and have only found 2 pairs that I LOVE but they are an ivory color and my dress is white. Is there any way to dye or bleach shoes white to match my dress? The shoes are only $30 so I would be willing to try anything or experiment to see if the outcome produces what I am looking for.
Hi Christi,
I don't know of any method at all to change the color of the shoes. (I assume they are fabric covered, like satin or silk finish.) Ask at a full service shoe repair shop. In general, it's very hard to remove color, especially in a constructed piece such as a pair of shoes. So don't get your hopes up! Keep looking!
best,
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.

About Dizzylettuce

Dizzylettuce is a line of unique, creative, beautiful, and luxurious silk accessories - triangles, rectangles, and circles - that can be worn as shawl, wrap, waist and hip wrap, sash, exciting ensemble layer, and suit or coat accessory.

Take a look at the latest Dizzylettuce styles & colors at www.dizzylettuce.com.

You can contact me at 512 837 4063 or here at dizzylettuce@fabrics.net.

If you love beautiful colors, luxurious textures, rich and interesting trim accents, the creation of a unique fashion look, and beautiful clothes - you will love Dizzylettuce!

If you are looking for fabrics, the fastest route is to fill out a request form at http://www.fabrics.net/swatch/

The "dizzylettuce" Column is an opinion Column and may or may not reflect the views of Fabrics.net.