Name: Sailaja
Message: Hi, I would like to dye my ivory coloured vellux blanket to tangerine to match the decor in my bedroom. Please advise me on how that can be done. Should I use cold water dyes or a regular dye that is used for nylon.

Don't use cold water dyes, because nylon must be dyed with hot water dyes, such as acid dye. Acid dye is named for its requirement for a mild acid, such as vinegar, in the dye bath.

You can't exactly stuff a large blanket into a cooking pot to do your dyeing on the stovetop, however, so you need to find a dye that will work in the washing machine, which is to say, at 140 degrees Fahrenheit. (If you keep your water heater turned down to 120 F. to reduce the risk of burns, you may wish to turn it up just long enough to do this dyeing job. If so, don't forget to readjust it when you are finished!)

Jacquard Products has instructions for Washing Machine Dyeing with Jacquard Acid Dyes, and Dharma Trading Company also has instructions for Washing Machine Dyeing with Acid Dye. You will need to weigh your blanket to determine how much dye you will need. You can mail-order acid dyes from most of the dye suppliers listed on my Sources for Supplies page.

Vellux blankets are beloved by allergy sufferers because of their ability to withstand being washed in hot water, to kill dust mites, so there should be no problem in subjecting your blanket to hot water dyeing in the washing machine.