Name: Mark
Message: Hi, How can i dye some cotton pants that have an elaborate silk enbroided image? I want to dye the orange pants dark green but not dye the silk embroided image. Is there a way of protecting the silkwork during the dyying process?
thanks

Are you sure the embroidery was made using silk thread? On commercial garments, it is more usually nylon thread that is used for this purpose. If the embroidery thread is nylon, the solution is simple. Cold water fiber reactive dyes, such as Procion MX dye, will dye cotton but not nylon, when used with the usual high-pH soda ash recipe.

However, silk is a more versatile fiber for dyeing, and dye easily with the same dyes and recipe as cotton. To prevent this, you could thicken your fiber reactive dye using sodium alginate or superclear dye thickener, and carefully paint it on only the portions of the fabric you wish to dye, or you could cover the embroidery with hot beeswax (see "How to Batik"), or gutta, or a water soluble resist such as Presist.

Water soluble resists must not be immersed in water; instead, you must carefully paint your dye on in such as way as not to wash the resist off with the dye solution. Check out Dharma Trading Company's array of dye resist products.