Name: Nancy
Message: I dyed a pair of denim bib overalls purple (after 3 times - 1. dyed and didn't take, 2. used Color Remover and then Fast Fade to "pre-treat" the denim, 3. dyed again with 2 purple and navy with a little wine.  NOW, they are too dark - like a brown eggplant.  How do I get them to a grape or amethyst color?

What kind of dye did you use? People often complain about getting the wrong color when using all-purpose dye. You will find dyeing to be easier, with better results, if you use a kind of dye called fiber reactive dye; the most popular type is called Procion MX dye.

You can buy Procion MX type dyes from most of the companies around the world that are listed on my page of Sources for Dyeing Supplies.

It is easier to get the desired color when starting from white, using PFD ("prepared for dyeing" clothing blanks. Since dye is transparent, you must always include the existing color when deciding which colors to add to it, as the colors will combine together in the final results. Fast Fade is a good idea for lightening the color of denim, but not all dyes can be stripped from a garment.

I receive hundreds of complaints about problems people have as the result of using inferior dye. Mail-ordering good fiber reactive dye takes a little more time, but is well worth the effort.

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