Name: Eva
Message: Can you tie dye a white shirt that has a screen print on it?

Yes, you can. Use cold water fiber reactive dyes, such as Procion MX dyes. Buy the dye by mail-order from almost any of the companies listed on my Sources for Dyeing Supplies page. Follow the recipe at "How to Tie Dye" and "How to Dye".

Name: charity
Message: where can I get UREA, the substance frequently mentioned in your site?? Is it truly necessary for dying? And what do you think of RIT, I've tried RIT, two packages at one time and still ended up with a light gray, when black was my intention. thanks for your time.

Urea, as explained in the FAQ section of my website, is useful as a humectant to keep reactions moist in direct dye application. Some people also think that it helps in dissolving some fiber reactive dyes. There is no use for urea in dyeing with all-purpose dye. You can mail-order urea, along with your dye, from any of the dye supply companies listed on my web site. You can also use fertilizer-grade urea from a feed store, if you are interested in buying large quantities. Fertilizer-grade urea is cleaner than feed grade.

All-purpose dyes often produce unsatisfactory results; they are never as intense in color, or as washfast, or as easy-to-use, as cool water fiber reactive dyes. However, people often do not use the proper technique to give all-purpose dye a good chance. Was your fabric 100% cotton or wool? Rit dye, like most other types of dye, cannot change the color of polyester fiber. Did you simmer it at 190 degrees Fahrenheit (88 C.), for thirty minutes or more? All-purpose dye requires heat to make a good attachment to fiber, and extended periods of time are required for bright or dark colors. Did you use at least one package of dye for every pound of fabric (and twice that for black)? It takes a lot of dye to get a good strong black.

For dyeing clothing black, I would tend to recommend other types of dye. For dyeing cotton, linen, rayon, or other cellulose fibers, as well as silk, I recommend the use of cool water fiber reactive dyes, such as Procion MX or Cibacron F dye. Try the Sabrcron/Cibacron F dye, #F61 Rich Black, from Prochemical & Dye, following the washing machine instructions. For dyeing wool, silk, or nylon (but no other synthetics), the best and richest black is the Lanaset dye (also sold as Sabraset or Telana); study the instructions first. I do not recommend that home dyers immersion dye polyester, but if you do, you must use Disperse dye; see "Dyeing Polyester with Disperse Dyes".

Name: leigh McQueen
Message: HAVING BOUGHT DYE FROM MALAYSIA FOR BATIK PAINTING- 1 DO I NEED TO PRE SOAK TSHIRTS BEFORE DYEING AND 2 AFTER DYEING SHOULD I USE SODA ASH OR SODIUM SILICATE TO FIX THE DYE?
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION
SUPER WEBSITE

Do you know exactly what dyes you have there? Do you know their chemical names?

Soda ash, or alternatively sodium silicate, is important in fixing cool water fiber reactive dye, but is not used in dyeing with naphthol dyes. Naphthol dyes are popular in batik work in countries such as Indonesia, and probably Malaysia as well, but are not used at all in the US due to their potential dangers. For more information on how naphthol dyes are used, see the dye supplier Batik Oetoro in Australia.

Another type of dye used in batik is vat dye, including indigo and its synthetic relatives. These are more complicated to use than fiber reactive dye, but like fiber reactive and naphthol dyes, vat dyes do not require heat, which would have the unfortunate effect of melting the wax.

Soda ash can be used in three different ways to fix cool water fiber reactive dyes: as a pre-soak (used wet or line dried before dyeing), mixed in with the dye itself, or as an after-soak. Sodium silicate can be painted on after the dye is applied to fabric and allowed to dry; it is used as a substitute for soda ash, not in addition to it.

To find different retail mail-order sources for fiber reactive dyes around the world, see <http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/dyesources.shtml>.

Name: attracta
Message: I am new to dyeing. I want to dye a large number of well used towels a charcoal grey colour. I have not seen the colour I require in my local stores. I am living in Ireland, and Dylon is the product range available locally. I would prefer to dye in the washing mashine if possible.
Any suggestions for getting the deep shade I seek ?

Dylon is a dye company that produces several completely different types of dye. Among them is an all-purpose dye that you should avoid when dyeing cotton, called Dylon Multi Purpose dye; however, they also sell some much more suitable types of dye.

I am told that it is often easy to find Dylon Cold Water Dye and Dylon Washing Machine Dye in Europe; these are both high quality fiber reactive dye. Dylon Cold Water dye has been described by Dylon as containing fiber reactive dyes "like" Procion MX or Cibacron F, while Dylon Washing Machine Dye contains Drimarene K dye in a package that is particularly suitable for use in front-loading washing machines. Drimarene K dye is a good quality fiber reactive dye that can be used just like Procion MX dye, although with slightly higher temperatures (preferably 35 to 50 degrees C., which is 95 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit).

Dylon Washing Machine dye is not available in the US, so I have not used it for this purpose myself, though I have used the Drimarene K dyes it contains. The dye is sold in a color labeled Slate Grey, according to the Dylon web site. In some shops (e.g. FabricUK.com) it appears that this dye is available in a black mixture, but not a grey one. Using half of the recommended quantity of a black dye may produce a grey, or it may produce a dark green, dark purple, or some other color than grey, so it is best to search for a supplier that carries a mixture that has been standardized in a grey color. You can mix in other colors of the same line of dye to get a color that is different from any of those pictured, but this requires trial and error, and can be frustrating for a novice. The Dylon web site includes a "where to buy" page that should help you to find a suitable supplier. You will need to weigh your fabric, dry, to determine how much dye to use. One pack will dye up to 500 g or one pound, to get the pictured color.

Alternatively, you can mail-order other types of fiber reactive dye from other European suppliers. See my list of companies that sell dye in various countries around the world; scroll down to the section containing European sources.

Name: Sonja
Message: You don't happen to know what dye to use on feathers, do you? I can't seem to find any information anywhere.

Since feathers are made of protein, like wool and silk, you can use acid dyes to dye them.

Jacquard Acid Dyes are recommended in this tutorial on dyeing feathers: <http://www.ginabellousdolls.com/feather_tutorial_1.htm>

Here are instructions for using ProChem's Washfast Acid Dyes on feathers: <http://www.prochemical.com/directions/WF_SilkFeathers.htm>

Name: michele
Message: I'm starting a new business doing all cotton batik clothing. It seems there isn't much true batik out there. My question is this- in your experience dealing with many people in the industry, how many are able to make a living at it? Any insights you might have would be great. I was art director at an ad agency years ago so at least I have a pretty good sense of design and color sense. Thanks

I may not be the best person to ask. I don't make any money at this business, myself; I have a "day job" as a scientist. When, years ago, I tried to make ends meet as an artist, I learned that I am not a good salesperson, and don't enjoy that side of the business at all.

I do not believe that it is sufficient to simply produce beautiful work. Attention to the business side of selling your work is at least as important, in making a living at this. How are you going to reach your customers? By shows in galleries, or through clothing stores? Self-employed as an artist, you are very much a small business owner; you must be very good at the practical side of selling your stuff, not just at creating it.

Another issue is that there is a great deal of beautiful hand-made batik work exported from Indonesia. Are you able to work for as low an hourly wage?

Many fiber artists spend so many hours on each piece that they essentially earn minimum wage, or less, for extremely skilled work. They are willing to do this because it is work that they love, but it is discouraging to consider making so little money for so much work. I have many times read complaints that customers are willing to pay much more for paintings than for fiber art; on the other hand, there are a great many artists whose paintings do not sell for much money, either. We see the price tags on successful works, but we don't even see the artists whose work doesn't sell at all.

Name: Laura
Message: I recently purchased an 80% wool 20% nylon jacket that got stained with vomit. The jacket is a light pink color, and the vomit was a mix of orange "Tang" drink and vodka. I already took it to the dry cleaners to remove the stain and had the jacket returned to me just as stained as when i brought it in. Would you recommend having it professionally dyed a brown or black color? Or do you think i should just throw it away? Is there any other method you recommend so it will be wearble once again?

Wow, this has to be the most gruesome question I've ever been asked about dyeing! (Why would anyone drink Tang with vodka?!)

Tang is colored with food dye, which is a type of acid dye, so the acid in the vomit probably helped to set the dye.

Dyeing the jacket brown or black would probably work, if it can be done without shrinking the garment, assuming that the garment has no residual odor. (If it does have any residual odor, throw it away!) Wool, as you discovered the hard way, is pretty easy to dye permanently. Avoiding shrinkage would be a huge problem, however. As a general rule, it is pointless to attempt to dye anything that is not washable.

Professional dyers are not easy to find. Generally, you must mail a garment to one of the few dyers who provide this service, such as True Color Fabric Dyeing, at <http://www.fabricdyeing.com>. Perhaps you should contact the company to ask whether or not it will be possible for them to dye your jacket without changing the size.

Name: jen
Message: HI! I am looking for someone who can make a michael fowler mandala in earth tapestry for me. Can you suggest some names? Thank you

Of course, no one but Michael Fowler can make a Michael Fowler mandala, but there are certainly other excellent dye artists out there, as well, several of whom are working on tapestries.

Try looking at the tie-dyers listed on my "Other Galleries" page:
<http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/dyelinks.shtml>

Alternatively, search for a custom dyer on my Custom Dyers Listing guestbook.

You might also try learning to do your own, from Michael Fowler's new DVD, The Art of Tie-Dye.

Name: bill
Message: hey man i like a lot of your stuff and have learnt a lot from your site but do u know any other sites to learn from thank you PEACE

Sure do. See the "Links to other informative sites" link, in the navigation section at the bottom of nearly every page on my site, or go directly to <http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/dyeinfolinks.shtml>.

You might also take a look at the Book Reviews page, at <http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/dyeingbooks.shtml>. Our local public library has some of these books; maybe yours does, too.

My name is Rebekah. I am planning to do a science fair project about dyes. Particularly I am interested in natural dyes. Are natural dyes much better that cormecial dyes? Why? Are cormecial dyes harmful to our health? Thank you.

No, natural dyes are not in any way better than the best synthetic dyes. They are less permanent, more difficult to apply, wash out more easily, and often involve the use of highly toxic mordants. Not all mordants are as toxic (e.g., alum is relatively safe to use, though not completely non-toxic) but the truly dangerous mordants such as chromium are required for some of the brighter colors. A mordant is a chemical, usually a metal, which must be used in treating the fabric before applying a natural dye, because otherwise the natural dye will not stick to the fabric. Modern synthetic dyes do not require the use of a mordant.

Some commercial dyes are harmful to health; others are not. Like the chemicals found in nature, synthetic dyes range from harmless to quite toxic. While food dyes, for example, may not be one of the healthier parts of a diet when eaten in excess or by allergic individuals, they have been throughly tested and are quite safe when used in small quantities or when used for external use, such as in dyeing wool (they do not work on cotton). Many different types of dyes have been discovered and used in the past without regard for their possible toxicity, such as the Naphthol dyes, which are popular in Indonesian batik but which are not available for use by dye artists in the United States, apparently due to worries about their possibly causing cancer.

The dyes we recommend for use on cotton, the fiber reactive dyes, are considered unsafe when eaten or inhaled; however, one should never eat or inhale any art materials! (Artist's oils are extremely dangerous, being colored in many cases with toxic heavy metals, and misuse of solvents can be fatal.) The major risk from inhalation of fiber reactive dyes is the development of an allergy to the dye, possibly resulting in asthma, which is treated by completely avoiding exposure to that dye when working with dye in the future. There is also a hypothetical risk of cancer or other toxic effects whenever any product which has not been tested for safety in food is eaten, or inhaled, in spite of the lack of safety testing.

The chemicals used with fiber reactive dyes are, on the whole, quite safe. The soda ash or washing soda (sodium carbonate) which is used to increase the pH of the dye reaction, so that cotton can be dyed, is harsh and drying to the skin and should not be allowed to contact the skin for extensive periods (wear gloves, and wash it off right away after accidental contact); however it is not toxic when sufficiently diluted or neutralized with an acid such as vinegar. Another chemical commonly used in fiber reactive dyeing is ordinary table salt, which is used only for immersion dyeing, never for tie-dyeing. Urea is commonly used in tie-deying; urea is quite safe, and is beneficial as an ingredient in skin moisturizers.

All-purpose dye is another, more common, type of dye besides the fiber reactive dyes (I prefer the fiber reactive dyes). The all-purpose dye sold under such brand names as "Rit Tint and Dye" and "Tintex Hot Water Dye" contains two types of dye: "direct" dye and "acid" dye. You can read about this dye on my web site, under "About Dyes". All-purpose dye is not safer than other dyes. In the book Fabric Painting and Dyeing for the Theatre, by Deborah Dryden, there is mention of a carcinogenic dye, Direct Black, which is known to have been at one time included in all-purpose dyes. Since the companies that sell all-purpose dye, such as Rit, do not reveal which dyes are contained in their mixtures, it is impossible to know whether or not this dye has been removed from their formulations. In any case, the same strict precautions must be taken when using all-purpose dye: never breathe or eat it, always wear gloves, and never use a cooking pot with these dyes that you will in the future use for food. Once dye has been used in any kitchen equipment, that equipment is no longer suitable for use in cooking or serving food. This warning is true for all dyes, whether natural or synthetic.

Procion MX dye is much better than natural dyes or commercial all-purpose dyes, if you are dyeing cellulose fibers such as cotton, linen, or rayon, because garments dyed with it can be washed repeatedly, even in hot water, without removing the dye from the fiber, because the dye actually forms a strong covalent bond to the cellulose molecule.

Another way in which Procion MX dye is superior to natural dye, when dyeing cotton or other cellulose fibers, or in dyeing silk, is that is does not require the use of heat, so there is no need to spoil an expensive cooking pot, and the serious dangers of scalding yourself are completely absent. Both natural dye and all-purpose dye require the use of hot water.

A third area of superiority for Procion MX dyes is the incredible range of colors that may be produced with ease, from neon-bright to subtle earth tones. The color range is considerably better than that found in all-purpose dye, or of course natural dyes.

A fourth way in which Procion MX dye is superior to natural dye, for cellulose fiber, is that the chemicals used with it are relatively safe, the only danger being from careless contact with the skin-irritating properties of the high pH of soda ash (also known as washing soda). This is much better than the dangers of many mordants.

Note that I repeatedly say "when dyeing cotton" or "for cellulose fibers". This is because the different types of fiber are very different in their requirements for dyes. Natural dyes tend to be easier to use on animal fibers such as wool, though mordanting is still required. So are food dyes and other acid dyes; it is a great mistake to try to dye cotton with food dye, but food dye works a lot better on wool. Animal fibers are dyed with acid, not soda ash, whether one is dyeing with Procion MX dyes, all-purpose dyes, or food dyes; acid dyes also require heating. However, in dyeing animal fibers, commercial acid dye is easier to use than natural dye, and frequently less expensive since much smaller quantities of dyestuff are required.

One real advantage of natural dye is that it can be a tremendously fun project to learn how to use natural dyes. The other great advantage is the sheer aesthetic pleasure of using plantstuffs you harvest for yourself, instead of the mysterious products of a factory. Natural dyeing is also a great deal of work, and requires specialized equipment (such as dedicated cooking pots that are never used for food). It is critical to observe all safety measures for whichever dye you use, especially the safety measures required when dyeing with dangerous heavy metals such as chromium, iron, copper, and tin.

It is a foolish waste of time to attempt to dye with colorful items found around the house, such as berries or beets, without first finding out whether or not the substances involved are likely to be capable of making good dyes. It is not uncommon, for example, for someone to imagine that the lovely color found in the water when cooking beets will make a good red dye on cotton; of course, the color just washes away, if special dyeing techniques are not used, and even with proper dyeing technique, the dye from beets turns out to be more likely to be a dull yellow than any kind of red at all. I strongly recommend that you locate some good books on natural dyeing before you attempt to do any natural dyeing at all. I recommend the 2003 edition of Jill Goodwin's A Dyer's Manual. (See book reviews.)

Note that all of the above information is for dyeing natural fibers only. Nylon can be dyed like wool, and rayon or Tencel like cotton, but other synthetics, such as polyester, acetate or acrylic, cannot be dyed with any of the dyes mentioned above. Only special dyes designed for use on synthetic fibers can be used, such as the class of dye known as "disperse" dye. Disperse dye is more allergenic than other dyes, sometimes causing reactions even among the wearers of the garments not just among the people who apply the dye. It is also quite difficult to apply, and is not suitable for use by novices or students.

Name: joan
Message: please a need ideas as to how to combine various colors to achieve a good effect

This is a difficult question to answer, because it is very much a matter of personal taste.

For example, I myself like to do rainbow dyeing, in which adjacent colors are the same as the colors that are next to each other in the rainbow. This means place red between purple and orange, or blue between green and purple, or orange between yellow and red. Here is the order of colors in the rainbow:
Red - orange - yellow - green - blue - violet
The one exception, for the brightest designs, is to use black in between colors, or, when tie-dyeing, to place one side of the tied disk of fabric (which is your shirt) in a very shallow pan of black dye. Black makes the other colors seem brighter.

I very much like using just a few adjacent colors, such as green, turquoise, and navy, in one garment.

However, Michael Fowler, in his DVD "The Art of Tie-Dye", recommends placing complementary colors on opposite sides of a tied garment, so that these two colors are right next to each other, in stripes, on the finished product. The complement of red is green; the complement or orange is blue; and the complement of yellow is purple. Combining opposite colors can result in more subtle colorations, or sometimes only in muddy-looking effects. Michael has great results in his dyeing. There are different ways to approach anything.

In my own work, tie-dyeing with complementary colors has too often produced garish or muddy results; however, I love combining complementary colors in low water immersion dyeing. I also enjoy using a premixed color, such as grey, in low water immersion, but allowing the colors in the mixture to spread out and separate, often with surprising and yet subtle effects.

A great way to combine colors is to choose your own very favorite color, and then choose just one or two other colors that go well with it and with each other. Before starting a very large project, such as a bedspread, practice on something small and inexpensive, such as a t-shirt.

Name: jy
Message: Hi, i just received a college sweatshirt that is 80% cotton and 20% polyester. It is bubblegum pink and I wanted to dye it to a royal blue or hunter green. I have hardly dyed fabrics before and I really want to find a very easy way to dye the sweatshirt, without much mess, and with a process that will leave the sweatshirt easy to wash without the color fading. I would really appreciate if you could recommend the best way to dye the sweatshirt and with what materials, thank you!

This should be an easy project, if you buy some cool water fiber reactive dye, such as Procion MX dye. This is the most permanent type of dye and will last through many washings, even if you wash in hot water, and will not endanger the rest of your laundry, even if you wash your brights with your whites. (You must first be sure to remove all excess dye left over from the dyeing process, before you try the latter trick.) Another advantage of this type of dye is that it can be used at room temperature, which makes it much, much easier than all-purpose dye, which must be simmered, with the sweatshirt, on the stove top, for best results.

Since dye is transparent, the starting color will inevitably be contained in the color you end up with. If you apply blue dye to pink, you can get a nice royal blue; however, if the pink is very bright, you may find that your result is closer to purple. Pink is a pale red, and red is the opposite or complementary color to green. If you dye this sweatshirt dark green, the pink will make it a little brownish in color. That will probably be just fine for a hunter green, though.

You will also need to acquire a few dye auxiliaries. If you choose to do washing machine dyeing, you will need something like twenty cups of non-iodized salt (from the grocery store), and soda ash, which you can get either from your dye supplier or a swimming pool supply store. Mail-order the fiber reactive dye, such as Procion MX dye, from one of the companies on my list of "Sources for Dyeing Supplies".

You can do your dyeing in a bucket, with constant stirring, or in a washing machine. Pro Chemical & Dye provides instructions for "Immersion Dyeing in the Home Washing Machine using PRO MX Reactive Dyes" and "Immersion Dyeing in the Home Washing Machine using Sabracron F Reactive Dyes"; Dharma Trading Company provides similar instructions for "The Vat (Washing Machine, Tub, Bucket) Dye Method". (I always omit the Calsolene Oil in the latter recipe because its warning label requires safety precautions that seem like too much trouble to me, and I get great results without it.)

Name: Josh
Message: Hi, I have a t-shirt that got spots of bleach on it. I am thinking of tie-dying it to cover up the problem. But there is a print on the shirt that I want to protect. I don't think it is a screen-print. It is plastic-like and doesn't seem to be just ironed-on, but I'm no expert. The shirt is 100% cotton, pine green.

Do you know of any dyes that would dye the fabric but not the print?

Cool water fiber reactive dyes, when used in room temperature water, will not affect the plastic-like print. These include Procion MX, Drimarene K, and Cibacron F dyes.

To mail-order fiber reactive dye, see my list of different companies around the world that sell dye supplies. In the US, you can order an excellent "tie dye kit" from Dharma Trading, ProChem, Scarlet Zebra, or Tie-dyed.com.

Also see "How can I fix the bleach spots on my favorite clothing?" for other solutions. Tie-dyeing is a very good solution, though, since the variation in the design can hide a lot, and the shirt will be more fun afterwards anyway.

Name: Kim
Message: Paula,
I would like to try dying an old white upholstered chair, that has material that appears to be cotton (although it could be a blend). Since I can't take the material off the chair, and I don't know how absorbant the batting is, I am wondering what the best way is to dye it. Should I use a permanent fabric dye with minimal water and heat-fix it with a blow dryer? Or air brush it? Obviously, the dye can't be something that would leak into your clothing when you sit in the chair later. If you have any suggestions for which way to go, I would appreciate it. THANKS>>>Kim

Try the FAQ section of my web site, under "Can furniture be dyed successfully?".

Also see Scarlet Zebra's information on painting upholstered furniture.

Name: Pam
Message: Is it possible to dye organza and crepe? What category would they come under - polyester or nylon? I would like them dyed from cream to gunmetal grey. What dye would you recommend. This is a great site - thankyou.

I cannot recommend a dye without knowing the fiber content.

Silk organza and silk crêpe are extremely easy to dye with silk dye or with fiber reactive dye.

Polyester organza and polyester crêpe cannot be dyed except with disperse dye (see "Dyeing Polyester with Disperse Dyes"; the same is true of acetate and acrylic.

Nylon organza and nylon crêpe can be dyed with acid dyes, as can wool crêpe; see "Dyes for Protein Fibers".

Message: hi.gud am..i would like to ask the property of colloid occured in this tie dyeing. i've been surfing the net but i can't find the answer. please help me..thank you..

I'm sorry, but I don't understand what you are trying to ask!

Name: juanita
Message: Hello: I need your help... My 4th grade kids want to "tie dye" and "batik".. or an aproximation. They want to write their name on t-shirts and have the name show (stay white) while the rest of the shirt is dyed. What could I use, that will be safe and relatively easy to achieve? I have done batik but with the hot beeswax .. I was thinking What else could I use? would writing with crayons work? Any suggestions?

The first and most important point is to use fiber reactive dye, which can be used at room temperature. Do not use all-purpose dye, because it requires you to simmer the t-shirts in very hot eater for a while. That is way too much trouble for twenty or thirty t-shirts, and the hot water is too dangerous to use around children.

Writing with crayons won't work unless you melt them. Personally, I'd rather keep hot melted wax far away from any children; it's just so dangerous, as far as burns are concerned, and there are also issues of possible lung damage from fumes from hot wax. Either you could have them write in pencil on the shirts, then take the shirts home and apply the wax over the names yourself with a tjanting - too much trouble for a whole class, I think! - or you need an alternative technique.

Water-based resists, as an alternative to wax, will not work if you immerse the fabric in dye. (I learned this the hard way, years ago.) The water-based resist rinses right out in ANY liquid you submerge it in. It works, however, if you brush the dye onto dry fabric. There are lots of choices, such as a product called Presist, but you can just use Elmer's Glue Gel. It will not hold up if you submerge the shirt in dye or soda ash, but it will work fine for painting or squirting dye on.

Normally, most tie-dyers presoak the shirts in soda ash, dissolved in water, before applying dye. You must avoid doing so, as it will wash off your water-soluble resist. You will want to apply your dye as a paint, so as not to wash away your Elmer's Glue Gel. Instead, you should mix the soda ash in directly with the dye (if you do this, throw away any dye you do not use on the day you mix it in, as it will go bad after a few hours).

Another alternative would be fabric paint, before dyeing. You can use opaque or transparent or metallic or even clear and colorless fabric paint, such as the colorless Jacquard Textile paint. The paint can never be removed, but it will keep dye from reaching the fabric, if applied heavily enough and then allowed to dry very thoroughly before dyeing.

Another alternative would be fabric crayons. You need 50% synthetic material, such as 50% cotton/50% polyester, or else the fabric crayons will wash out. (They are intended for use on polyester and other synthetics.) The names must be written BACKWARDS on paper with these crayons, then an adult irons them on, either before or after dyeing. The dye you tie-dye with will stick only to the natural fiber, such as cotton, so the colors will be paler than on 100% cotton shirts.

You could also use iron-ons that you create with a computer and an inkjet printer. Use opaque ones if you want the white to show. Use these *after* tie-dyeing. As with the fabric crayons, the design will come out backwards.

Or, you could thicken fiber reactive dye with a bit of sodium alginate (sold by dye suppliers), then have them paint their names on. You can use the standard recipes for tie-dyeing with fiber-reactive dye.

There are a lot of different possibilities.

Name: Kristina
Message: Hi,
I hope I'm not asking a redundant question, but I'm looking for some clarification after reading up on your web site. I just bought some cotton seat covers for my old car and picked up some Rit dye on an impulse, thinking I'd tie-dye them. I realize this isn't the best dye to use, but I don't care if they fade or if the color isn't that vivid -- I just wanted a quick way to liven them up. I do care if they shrink, and I definitely don't want the color to come off on me. CAN I use the Rit dye in cold water? Will the color all come out in the initial rinse, or will it be OK at least until (if) I wash them? I can live with plain tan seats if this won't work (more easily than I can live with a green-stained back), so your advice would be appreciated!

How much do you value your time and effort? It takes a lot of time to tie-dye using all-purpose dye (see the recipe), because each color section should be immersed separately for at least half an hour, and the results are never as good as the results you can easily get by just using quality dye to begin with, especially if you do not use very hot water.

It's easy to mail-order good fiber reactive dye, which is usually listed as Procion or MX dye, and the dye costs much less, per pound of fabric to be dyed, than does all-purpose dye (since each box of all-purpose dye will dye only about the equivalent of one t-shirt). And, of course, the results of using cool water dye would be much better, since your need to avoid shrinkage demands that use use a cool water technique. To order some good quality dye, look for a "tie dye kit" from almost any of the retailers on my listing of different companies that sell dye.

When tie-dyeing with all-purpose dye, you really should stick to the old fashioned single-color method of tie-dyeing, which means that you tie the fabric and then immerse it in the dyebath. Since you are not using the correct temperature for the dye (the 190 degrees Fahrenheit required for best results would shrink your fabric!), leave the fabric in the dyebath for a longer period of time. Do not attempt the squirt-bottle recipe that is often used with cool water dyes! Immersion dyeing with all-purpose dye can work, even in water than is less hot than ideal, if you are not too picky about retaining a lot of dye in the fabric, and don't really care whether the colors you get are bright or dull, and will not be washing the item in the future. Immersion dyeing is solid color dyeing. A multi-colored variant, called low water immersion dyeing, is the easiest of all methods of dyeing, and is often misidentified ass tie-dyeing, so do be sure to check that out, too. It is best done with fiber reactive dyes, but if you use only a small amount of water and do not stir, you should get a similar result with other types of dye.

You MUST rinse the fabric throughly after dyeing to prevent dye from rubbing off on people, no matter what sort of dye you use. Some of the dye you want will rinse out, too, but now all will wash out on the first rinsing. You will want to use cool water for washing, to maximize the amount of dye that stays in the fabric, and also, of course, to minimize shrinkage.

Name: Billy B.
Message: Hey, i have been wondering how to die pants. I'm not thinking of tie-dye pants but dying pants to look as if they were those really "cool" ones that cost over one hundred dollars. I would be great if you could help me out with this. Thankyou.
P.S. If you need a picture of what kind of pants I am talking about here is a link you might be able to go to.((highlight and paste into browser search bar))
http://www.abercrombie.com/anf/onlinestore/collection/7115_04_f.jpg
http://www.oldnavy.com/assets/product/big/ona2622267-10b.jpg
It would also be very cool if you might tell me, if you know of course, how to make those little lines on the upper thigh part of the jeans.
Thankyou for your time. = )

This style is not the result of dyeing; it is the result of abrasion.

Normally, indigo-dyed denim has dye only on the outermost layers of each fiber. A little wear removes the color, leaving lighter regions. It used to be that one had to actually wear jeans in order to make them look worn, but now manufacturers mimic the effect of aging by washing the garments with abrasives, or possibly with cotton-degrading enzymes.

Perhaps the simplest way for you to copy the effect, without going to the trouble of wearing the jeans for a long time yourself, would be to rough them up with sandpaper, perhaps while you are wearing them so as to make sure that the right areas get the wear. (I do not know of a source for cellulase enzyme.)

The light lines are the results of folds in the fabric during the abrasion process. Wherever the fabric is folded, the fiber that sticks out the most will receive the most wear.

Name: Doris
Message: I would like to know if your dye could be used in some way to change the color on a faded sofa and love seat. It is good furniture but time and sun have faded the fabric. Any suggestion or direction would be sincerely appreciated.

I don't sell dye, so I'm not sure what you mean by "my" dye. You can find many different companies that sell different types of quality dyes on my list of Sources for Supplies.

The question about how to dye furniture is frequently asked, and as a result is answered already on my web site. See the FAQ section, under "Can furniture be dyed successfully?". Also see Scarlet Zebra's information on painting upholstered furniture.

Name: Katie
Message: Ive got a blouse that is 63% rayon, 34% polyester, and 3% spandex. Should I dye it with the Rayon procedure or the polyester procedure to turn the blouse from brown to dark red?

Because all dye is transparent, you can use dye only to turn fabric from a lighter color to a darker one, never to a lighter color. Is your brown light enough to be overdyed to make a dark red? Most browns are not. You may have no choice other than black.

Your blouse contains twice as much rayon as polyester, so it makes sense to concentrate on dyeing it only.

It is much easier to dye rayon, using cool water fiber reactive dyes, than to dye polyester. Polyester requires a special sort of dye which is not at all suitable for beginners. Rayon can be dyed with the same Procion MX dye that is used for tie-dyeing cotton. In order to get a smooth solid color, I recommend that you use the washing machine for your dyeing; see, for example, PRO Chemical & Dye's recipe for "Immersion Dyeing in the Home Washing Machine using PRO MX Reactive Dyes".

Name: Jan
Message: We've have been asked to tie dye lycra using bleach. Have you got any tips for us please. Thanks Jan

Yes, I have one very important tip: DON'T DO IT!

You can discharge-dye 100% cotton (be sure to learn how to stop the action of the bleach with Anti-chlor, before you even start), but you should never apply bleach to synthetics.

Bleach permanently damages synthetics such as Lycra spandex, with effects ranging from discoloration to breakage of the fiber. Basically, it will just destroy the fiber, sooner or later, depending on the amount of bleach exposure. It's a very bad idea.

Name: Jules
Message: Hello,
I recently bought an A-line skirt off eBay and I wanted to die it from Electric Blue to Black,or platinum, or silver, or Red. The material is 100% polyester according to the tag. can you reccomend a color that would die best. I am hoping that either black, silver, or platinum will be a good color. Thanks a lot.
-Jules

I'm sorry, but immersion dyeing polyester is NOT a suitable project for a dye beginner like yourself. You would have to buy a large, expensive cooking pot to be used only for this purpose, because the dye is not safe to use in the same cooking pots you use for food. In addition, the procedure requires that you boil the garment for an hour with a toxic carrier chemical. The skirt is unlikely to survive this much heat for this much time.

See "Dyeing Polyester with Disperse Dyes", at <http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/dispersedye.shtml>.

If your skirt were made of an easily dyeable material such as 100% cotton or 100% silk, you could dye electric blue to make black, but never to make silver or red. Dye is transparent, so the existing color cannot be covered up, only added onto.

Name: Christie
Message: Help! I'm getting married in a little over a week and the shoes that I ordered for myself and my daughters (my bridesmaids) just came in. They were supposed to be dyed and they aren't! - I've searched everywhere online to see how I can do this myself (no one in the area can have the shoes dyed in time for the wedding). Is there a way to do this? My shoes need to be ivory and the bridesmaids need to be navy. They are the "dyeable" kind... satin.

I think your best bet would be to find a local show store that dyes shoes. Dyeing polyester satin is not a good task for a novice, particularly one as overworked as you must be right at this point.

If you must do this yourself, I recommend that you go buy some similar fabric from a fabric store to practice on, and buy some fabric paint or even artist's acrylic paint in appropriate colors. Do not attempt to color the shoes until you have determined that it works okay on your scrap fabric. Dilute the acrylic paints with water.

Name: robert
Message: i would like to know if you have any neon type vibrant colors for dying nylon tubing

I do not sell dye, but dye retailers sell some true fluorescent dyes in the class of dyes referred to as 'acid dyes' that work quite well on nylon. Dharma Trading COmpany sells a fluorescent yellow. Pro Chemical & Dye sells Rhodamine red, a florescent hot pink dye. You can contact ProChem via the contact information on their web site to ask them if any others of their acid dyes are true fluorescents, and how well they work on nylon.

Of course any eye-poppingly bright pure dye color will give the impression of being flurorescent, but only true fluorescent dyes will glow under ultraviolet light, such as that emitted by 'black' lights.

Name: lia
Message: Hi there, im really wanting to dip dye unteated wool interlock that i am making into pants. how do i go about doing this? and how would you set the dye? thanks so much for any help you can provide, my head is spinning!

Pick a set of instructions that seems relatively easy, and then buy the ingredients called for by that recipe.

Normally, one uses acid dyes for dyeing wool. See, for example, the Lanaset recipe at <http://www.prochemical.com/directions/Sabraset_Rainbow.htm>. Lanaset dye is very popular and high in quality.

Pro Chemical and Dye's recipe for "Garbage Bag Dyeing with Wool using PRO MX Reactive Dyes " (<http://www.prochemical.com/directions/MX_GarbageBag.htm>) might be relatively easy for you to use, since it does not requiring boiling or steaming. PRO MX dyes are the Procion MX dyes commonly used for tie-dyeing cotton.

Name: Judi
Message: I have a pair of tan synthetic suede chaps (washable) that I would like to dye to light blue - is this possible? HOW

All dye is transparent, so it is impossible to dye something to obtain a lighter color. You cannot dye something that is tan, to make it light blue. You can obtain a medium or dark blue, however. If you want to dye something to be light blue, you must start with white.

Polyester is not a fun thing to dye. It is not a suitable project for a beginner, and it is expensive to set yourself up with the required equipment.

You can dye polyester, if you are willing to invest in a very large (three gallon or larger) cooking pot, which you will never, ever use for food, since polyester dye is not safe for food use, and if you buy the necessary ingredients and follow the directions supplied by the manufacturer. See "Dyeing Polyester with Disperse Dyes".

Name: Steve
Message: Dear Paula,
I don't know where I can order the following food colorings:
indigotine blue #2 CI 73015
erythrosine red #3 CI 45430
tartrazine yellow #5 CI 19140
I want to order some of them. Can you tell me where I can order them (in USA)? Thanks so much!

You can buy food-grade tartrazine by the ounce from The Coloration Station. They don't appear to have indigotine or erythrosine, but it might be worth calling them to ask.

I don't know of another ordinary retail source for these food colorings. You should be able to get them from wholesale food additive suppliers (about which I know nothing), or from a chemical supply house. The problem with most food coloring retailers is that they do not specify which dyes are in their colors in their catalogs. You will probably need to contact them by telephone to determine whether or not the dyes you seek are contained in various products. Perhaps you will be able to read the ingredient labels at a cake decorating supply store to find your dyes. I've found tartrazine in artificially flavored and colored drink mixes at the grocery store, but no indigotine or erythrosine.

Sigma Aldritch's online chemicals catalog contains all three of these chemicals, but their MSDS for indigotine indicates that it is not food-grade, and the same is no doubt true of the others. "For R&D use only. Not for drug, household or other uses." That would rule out artistic dyeing purposes as well.

Organic Dyestuffs (Orco) lists FD&C colors. Use their contact form to inquire about purchasing.

Name: Ann
Message: I have some stuffed furniture that is off-white. I would like to dye it. What is the best way? Is it possible to spray dye on it--or is there a better method. Thank you.

This question is answered in the FAQ section of my web site, under "Can furniture be dyed successfully?".

Name: Peggy
Message: I washed a load of new dark clothes and was heartsick to discover that there must have been bleach residue in my washing machine. There are bleach spots over several areas of the articles. Can only the actual spots be dyed or do I need to totally dye the items. The articles are mostly cotton but some are cotton/ polyester blends.

See the FAQ section of my website under "Help! I ruined clothing by spattering bleach. How can I fix it?".

If you dye poly/cotton blends, whether you use a good dye such as Procion MX dye, or the common all-purpose dye found in many grocery stores, the polyester part of the fiber will not dye, only the cotton. This will result in a lighter or heathered effect, which may do little to cover up any bleach spots, unless only the cotton fibers were affected by the bleach.

Name: Dave
Message: I'm very excited about the potential for creating my own photographic backdrops after reading your section on low water immersion dyeing. Here's my question: can you complete the dye process (all the way through final wash/rinse) with one color and then start over again with the second color. I'd like to try this to achieve a more random pattern relationship between the colors. How far through the dyeing process do you think I would need to go before starting with the second color? I intend to use large 3 x 2 yd unbleached, naturaL, muslin

Yes, you certainly can repeat the dye process. Dyeing the same fabric multiple times can result in richer colors than dyeing only once, and layers of different colors can produce great results.

If you like to let your colors run on the fabric before adding soda ash, in low water immersion dyeing, you should wash the dye and soda ash out, at least the initial cold water washing, before applying another layer of dye. This is the best way to ensure that there is no relationship between the patterns of dye gradations in first layer and that in the second layer. If you add more dye before rinsing out the fabric, the fabric is apt to be crinkled in the same places, causing less of both applications of dye to reach certain areas. You can also get great results by adding another color on top of the original low water immersion dyebath without rinsing, but the relationship between the areas dyed by the two colors will be a bit less random. You'll probably want to try both ways.

I recommend that you use cool water fiber reactive dyes, such as Procion MX, Cibacron F, or Drimarene K dyes, along with soda ash as the dye fixative.

Name: Kim
Message: Thank you for your wonderful site.
I wanted to dye some cloth diapers (cotton) with Rit dye (as it is readily avaliable). My son likes to suck on the ends of the diapers (he uses them as a blanket). Do you feel that this would be safe for him to do after I have dyed and washed the diapers? Thank you very for your response.

All-purpose dye contains direct dye, which bleeds with every washing for the life of the garment. Presumably it can also bleed some with chewing.

I do not know that there is any danger in cummulative exposures to direct dye, for a baby. I suppose any risk is probably very tiny, if there is any risk at all. As a general rule, dyes are considered non-toxic, since they do not have any immediate poisoning effects. However, my personal preference would be to never allow a baby to chew on a fabric dyed with a dye that bleeds. With my own babies, I used only high quality fiber reactive dye, never all-purpose dye.

It is not very much trouble to mail-order fiber reactive dye from a good dye supplier, such as ProChem or Scarlet Zebra. (You can start out by ordering a tie-dye kit; see the contact information for these and other dye retailers on my "Sources for Supplies" web page.) If you do so, you will, in the long run, save a considerable amount of money, as fiber reactive dye, when purchased in two-ounce jars, costs about one-sixth as much, per pound of fabric dyed, as all-purpose dye does in local stores. You will also be using dye which bonds permanently to the fabric, instead of gradually leaching out throughout the life of the garment.

A further consideration is that the dye technique with fiber reactive dye does not require that you simmer it on the stovetop. All-purpose dye requires extensive simmering hot water (half an hour at 190 degrees Fahrenheit) to perform at its best, but, since the dye is not food-safe, any cooking pot used for the dye must never be used for food purposes again. Fiber reactive dye only needs to be allowed to react with the cotton in the presence of soda ash (washing soda), at room temperature, making it much easier to use in many different creative ways.

After you dye with fiber reactive dye, wash the garments (or diapers) once in cold water without detergent, and then several times in hot water with detergent, to remove all traces of unattached dye.

Name: Jennie
Message: I wish to tie dye Silk chiffon, please can you advise, as it will not take kindly to hot water. I am also having trouble finding a supplier of this material.
Many Thanks

Silk chiffon can be dyed in hot water, or with steaming after the dye is applied, using acid dyes, or it can be dyed at room temperature using fiber reactive dye and soda ash.

A great many fiber artists steam their acid-dyed silk chiffon, to set the dye, without a problem. In fact, this method is preferably for those who wish to preserve as much of the sheen of the silk fabric as possible.

I personally prefer to use fiber reactive dye on silk, using soda ash, because I dye cotton more frequently, and the same dye recipes can be used with silk as with cotton. However, it should be noted that the high pH of the soda ash techniques alters the feel for the silk a little. It tends to make it softer and less shiny. If this is a problem for you, I recommend that you use acid dyes, instead. Fiber reactive dyes can be also used as acid dyes if an acid dye recipe is followed, such as Dharma's "Tie-dyeing silk in a microwave" recipe.

You can also use special silk paints. Paint is not dye, because it contains a binder (a sort of glue) to attach the pigment to the fiber. This can make the fabric feel a little less soft; however, high quality silk paints do not affect the hand of the fabric very much.

Silk chiffon can be purchased from Test Fabrics, Dharma Trading Company, and from Rupert, Gibbon, and Spider's Silk Commection. The latter two companies also sell silk chiffon scarves, and Dharma Trading Company sells some silk clothing blanks.

Name: Sharon
Message: How did you discover which dyes are pure, and how do you determine if a dye offered by one company has a counterpart at another company?

You can (and should) always request an MSDS for each dye you purchase. Sometimes these sheets indicate the actual generic name of the dye. In general, though, I have determined which dyes are pure, and what their generic names are, by asking the company representative, while ordering dye over the telephone. I found the names of different MX dyes to look for by browsing through my university's old printed copy of The Colour Index.

ProChem has always been particularly helpful in sharing information about the generic names of their pure dyes; their technical support has always been superior to that at most companies. Of course, no dye supplier will tell you which dyes they use in their proprietary mixed colors, as these are trade secrets.

My web site includes a list of pure MX fiber reactive dyes, a list of pure washfast acid dyes, and a list of pure Lanaset dyes.

Name: Christine
Message: How much more dye would I need to purchase if I was doing sweatshirts instead of T-Shirts? I have a project where I am ordering T-shirts and sweatshirts but I am not sure if I will have enough dye. Because of space/chemical issues (Tye-dying in a dorm)I am purchasing kits that say they will dye up to 8 projects. I am afraid that I will not have enough money to buy enough dye. Would you say it was about double the amount of dye needed for a T-shirt?

It all depends on the weight of the cotton in a sweatshirt, versus the weight of the cotton in a t-shirt. You'll want about half an ounce of fiber-reactive dye per pound of cotton.

I would guess that a heavy-weight sweatshirt might weigh up to five times as much as a thin t-shirt! Then again, a thin sweatshirt might be only twice the weight of a good thick t-shirt. If you are tie-dyeing, you have the option of keeping a fair amount of the background white, in order to economize on dye.

It won't take much storage space if you mail-order several two-ounce jars of MX fiber reactive dye from a company such as Pro Chemical & Dye. They sell tie-dye kits as well as jars of dye. Dye tends to be much cheaper *per garment* purchased by mail-order from a dye supplier than when purchased from a local crafts store, but the initial expense may be greater. If ou buy your ingredients separately instead of as a kit, you also need to get urea and soda ash with your dye, since you probably don't want to store a large 5-pound container of soda ash from the swimming pool supply store, and don't forget gloves and squeeze bottles.

Name: cathy
Message: I have a white canvased back throw rug (about 3x6') It is made of a yarn like material that is about 2 or 3" long. I would like to dye this brown to use in my grandson's bedroom. Is there a way I can do this? Thank you.

I cannot tell you whether you can dye this rug, without knowing what fiber it is made of. Cotton, linen, and silk are easy to dye with fiber reactive dyes, and wool can be dyed with acid dye (though it requires heat), but acrylic and polyester rugs cannot be dyed at all easily.

The best way to determine the fiber content of a fabric is by examining the care label. If yours is missing, it might be possible to determine the fiber content using a burn test.

Fabrics.net provides a guide to using the burn test to identify unknown fibers. This test must be performed with care, since of course burning or melting fibers can be quite dangerous, but if you can perform it with care according to the instructions given on that page, you may be able to determine whether the rug is made of natural or synthetic fibers, and whether, if it is natural, it is made of a plant or animal fiber. Essentially, you cannot dye the fiber if it is synthetic, except for nylon, and there is a big difference in dyeing technique between plant and animal fibers.

Message: Hello, I have a question about dyeing prom gowns. I go to a all girls high school and im graduating this year.I live in a small town. Im known to wear very brightly colored clothing and the color orange and lime green. Gurls have already got the green and orange gowns. I know what i want but is it possible. I want a gown to be the color of a yellow highlighter. DO you know if it's possible to dye prom gowns and where to get the dye. Does the gown have to be made of a certain fiber. Please help!!

You may find it difficult to locate a prom gown that is dyeable. In order to be dyeable, a gown should be machine-washable, and it should be made of an easily dyed fabric such as silk, linen, rayon, or cotton. Nylon can also be dyed, but other synthetics cannot be. Also note that most garments are stitched together with polyester thread, which will remain the original color when the garment is dyed.

Dyeing polyester is not a suitable task for a dye novice. See "Dyeing Polyester with Disperse Dyes".

The easiest way to get a custom-dyed gown is to dye the fabric, and get someone to sew it for you. They can use thread that matches the fabric after it has been dyed. Custom-made dresses are not always more expensive than off-the-rack clothing. Is there a tailor's shop in your town that can make a dress for you? If you convince a relative to sew for you, be sure to allow plenty of time, and do select a simple pattern. Silk is among the easiest of fabrics to dye; it can be dyed with the same fiber-reactive dyes used in tie-dye, or with another class of dyes called acid dyes. Nylon can also be dyed with acid dyes. Avoid polyester, acrylic, acetate, and anything that is not washable!

You also might consider mail-ordering a dress found on the web by searching for, say, "lime green prom dress".

Name: Emma
Message: Hi,
I was wondering why do you use salt in batiking? I searched your site and the only page that came up was "Do I need to use salt?". If you could answer my question that would be great.

I never use salt when batiking, myself.

Whether you need salt when batiking depends on what type of dye you are using, and what dyeing technique.

Some dyes are more easily driven out of solution onto fabric when salt is added, though the salt does nothing in itself to bind the dye to the fabric. The salt just makes the dye a little less attracted to the water.

Name: Roberta
Message: Hello, I was hoping you could help me...I can't get this tye dye off my hands dispite wearing latex gloves in the first place. I soon have an engagement with a client and don't know what to do other than wear gloves.

The question, "How can I get the dye off my hands?" is the first one listed in the FAQ section of my website. Please see that page. (The short answer is to be patient, or exfoliate.)

Name: Pat
Message: I am wanting to know whether I can dye drapes that have the insulated backing and how I would go about it.

Are they washable? What is the fiber content of the drape material?

If the main fabric of the drapes is dyeable, and if the drapes are machine washable, you should be able to dye the drapes in the washing machine. The insulation will probably remain white.

Synthetic materials such as polyester and acetate are impractical to dye at home, however, and if the drapes are dry-clean-only, they cannot be dyed at all.

Name: Elizabeth
Message: thankyou so much for providing such an informative website to help me with my work i was told to research tie & die i searched 'tie&die techniques' and your site was the first one that came up it looked reliable and it had good sources of information. i would like to ask if you run any corses on fabric design? plz reply i am very grateful and all my compliments go straight to you!
I will recommend you to all my friends.
yours most gratefully x Elizabeth x

I'm so glad you have found the site to be helpful.

I do not teach any courses in dyeing, but I strongly recommend workshops taught by Ann Johnston, Carol Soderlund, Jane Dunnewold, and Michael Fowler .

There is a list of workshops being taught at ProChem. Any of these workshops would be a great experience. If you go to the Houston International Quilt Festival in October, there are always workshops taught there, as well as at shows in other cities held by the International Quilt Festival.

If you are not located near any of these teachers and cannot travel, you'll probably wish to check out Michael Fowler's DVD on tie-dye techniques.

Name: Vanessa
Message: Greetings Paula,
I have a rather unusual request. I am making a backdrop for the front of my church for vacation bible school. The backdrop will be made out of a muslin or some other type of material and it will be around 30 feet wide and 9 feet tall, this will set the stage for our serengeti trek. On this backdrop I would like to tie dye a large sunset. The sunset will take up the whole 30 by 9 feet. Starting with the round yellow off to one side and then going with other sunset colors. I'm wondering if it is possible to tie dye this much material at one time. I have only used the rite tie dye stuff before and am not sure what tie dye material to use. If you were to do a project like this, can you give me an idea of the best way possible to go about it?
Blessings and have a good day,

If this were my project, my preference would be to paint on the fabric with Procion MX dye (or other fiber reactive dye). All-purpose dye, such as Rit, requires immersion in a large pot of simmering-hot water; somehow I doubt you have a cooking pot large enough for this piece of fabric! The colors from fiber reactive dye also tend to be much brighter and prettier than those of all-purpose dye.

You will need Procion MX dye, soda ash, and probably also urea, which helps the dye to dry more slowly, allowing more time for it to react with the fiber. You can mail-order this dye from the companies listed on my "Sources for Supplies" page. To decide roughly how much dye to buy, determine the weight of the fabric you are going to dye, and allow about half an ounce (15 grams) per pound of fabric.

The fabric must be 100% natural, for best results. Cotton muslin is very good. If you do not already have a source for your wide muslin, Dharma Trading Company (on the Sources for Supplies page) sells some wide cotton muslin. Fabric should be pre-washed in hot water with detergent and soda ash. (The best detergent to use for this purpose is Synthrapol, available from dye supply companies.)

The typical way to get the soda ash into the fabric/dye reaction, in tie-dye, is to presoak the fabric in a bucket of soda ash and water, 1 cup per gallon of water. Can you fit your piece of fabric into a large plastic garbage can for this step? If so, you can then drain the soda ash water from the fabric and stretch out the fabric wherever you are going to dye it (in the parking lot, perhaps, or on the lawn, or on plastic tarps protecting the floor in a large room). The dye, mixed with water and urea, can then be applied to the pre-soaked fabric either before or after drying. You can tie the fabric before dyeing if you wish, just like tie-dyeing an immense t-shirt, but most people identify fabric that has been dyed by pouring dye over it as tie-dye, even if it has not been tied at all.

Alternatively, you can either leave the fabric dry, or just dampen it with water, and add the soda ash mixed in *with the dye*. The dye will stay good for just a few hours after soda ash is mixed with it, so if you do not finish in one day, you must mix up fresh dye the next day, to continue working. Dye can be thickened with sodium alginate to make it more like paint, or it can be used just dissolved in water, like watercolor paint (my preference). Make the dye mixtures by dissolving from 1 to 8 teaspoons of dye per cup (250 ml) of water - so for a gallon of one color of concentrated dye solution, use from 1/3 cup to 2.5 cups of dye, depending on the intensity of the color you want. The more concentrated amounts are for applying to pre-soaked, wet fabric; if the only water involved is that mixed in with your dye, use the lower amount of dye.

You can use a pencil, or charcoal, to outline where you want the design to go. Pencil or charcoal will wash out after the dye is applied.

Once you have combined dye, water, and soda ash on the fabric (and optionally urea), the dye reaction must be allowed to take place at 70 degrees F (21 C) or above, overnight. This could be a problem if you are applying the dye out-of-doors in the wintertime. You can cover the damp fabric with plastic and roll it up, then place it in a sufficiently warm place. After a day or more, find a washing machine large enough to hold the fabric, and wash it - or carefully hose it off, if necessary, or wash it by hand in a plastic trash can or bathtub. Tie-dyers find the special detergent Synthrapol, available from dye suppliers, to be useful in helping to keep darker colors from running onto lighter colors in the same piece. Always wash dyed items in cool water first, to remove all of the soda ash, before washing in warmer water (if possible) to remove the last bits of excess dye.

It would also possible to use ordinary paint on your backdrop, but the dye mixed in water will give a nice smooth gradation of color, and leave the fabric very soft, unlike paint.

Name: Kim
Message: Hi,
I tried a search but couldn't find an answer. I have a 100% acetate red dress that I bought from a consignment shop. It bleeds on my bra when I perspire, and bled on my jeans when I took both items to be dry cleaned. What can I do to stop the bleeding?

What can you do to stop the bleeding? There's not much you can do for a dry-clean-only dress. Perhaps the best thing to do would be to throw it away. Now you know why the previous owner did not want the dress. If you had purchased the dress new, rather than at a consignment shop, you would return it and get a refund, but I suppose that that is not an option in this case. The dress is defective, and the manufacturer should replace it.

Sometimes a garment that bleeds can be salvaged by washing it repeatedly, so that all loose dye is removed and the now-faded garment is safe to have near other garments. You may as well try this. If the dress is truly dry-clean-only, it will fall apart and you'll have to throw it away, but you'll be no worse off than you are now. If it does survive, perhaps washing will manage to remove all of the loose dye and be able to wear it without endangering your other clothing.

Name: kim
Message: I purchased a 52% rayon, 48% acetate maternity pant suit with a plain long-sleeved top on eBay. The seller didn't say that the color of the top had been faded on one side (looks like sun exposure). The outfit is a light grape. Can I dye it at home to a darker color and hope to achieve an even color all over the shirt? If not, can you tell me how to get adventurous and tie-dye or batik the top with other colors or use a bleach to fade it in a pattern? I hate to just lose my money.

I hope that you have left appropriate feedback about the seller. Selling a damaged garment without mentioning the damage is fraudulent. (Have you contacted the seller and tried to arrange for a refund? Have you contacted eBay to report the fraudulent sale?)

Getting adventurous is the best approach here. There is no way to dye this suit and expect to get a smooth single color over the entire garment. As explained on "How can I fix the bleach spots on my favorite clothing?", dye is transparent, so the lighter section will never quite match the darker one. This problem is considerably increased by the 48% acetate content; like polyester, acetate is not dyeable at home, except by extensive boiling with a special kind of dye called disperse dye (see "Dyeing Polyester with Disperse Dyes") and a noxious carrier chemical. Bleaching is not a good idea, because most synthetics are easily damaged by bleach.

If you use cool water fiber reactive dyes, you can dye the cotton portion of the fiber to darker colors, probably using blue and/or magenta dye (you may wish to avoid yellow since it will combine with light purple to make a brownish color). An alternative approach is to use fabric paint, perhaps in a metallic or pearlescent color; I recommend Lumiere and Neopaque fabric paints. (You might be able to find these at your local crafts store, or mail-order from Dharma Trading Company.) You can get a tie-dye effect by brushing the paint onto a garment that has been tied as for tie-dye, or you can rubber-stamp or paint on designs.

Name: veenu
Message: how do i paint on dark colored fabrics?

Use opaque fabric paint.

Most fabric paint is transparent and will not work on a dark background; only paints specifically labeled as being opaque, metallic, or pearlescent will do the job.

Suitable brands include PROfab Opaque Textile Paints (from ProCHem) and Jacquard Lumiere and Neopaque (from Dharma Trading Company and other retailers of Jacquard products). See "Sources for Supplies" for contact information for these and other retailers.

Name: Tanya
Message: Could you please recommend a vendor who sells children's cotton tights that dye well? It appears that neither Alegre nor Dharma Trading sell them.

Check your local department stores. I have purchased children's 88% cotton tights from Target that dyed extremely well, using cool water fiber reactive dye.

Name: Erich Stein
Message: Dear Paula;
I really like your text information on dyeing lycra / nylon material. However, I am not dyeing tie-dies, or the entire garmet material. I am looking to apply dye through an airbrush to create an image on my lycra/nylon blended material, maintain the integrity and texture feel of it; but simply applying my prints.

Can you help me find information, or a book - perhaps some product info? You seem to know a whole lot more about this than I do. Please help, thank you.

I've never used an airbrush myself, but there is no reason not to use airbrushing on fabric.

I've heard of people using fiber reactive dyes in an airbrush when painting cotton. (The main problem with this is safety, because it is unwise to breathe any type of dye or dye powder, and the tiny airbrush droplets of dissolved dye might easily dry out to become dye powder again.) Your nylon/lycra can be dyed with acid dyes, but would require steaming to set the dye.

Fabric paint would probably be much more suitable than dye for your purposes, since nylon does not dye well at room temperature. A product that used to be called Versatex Airbrush Ink, no called Jacquard Marbling Color, is supposed to work very well as a fabric paint. The original name suggests it might be perfect for your purposes. You might be able to contact the manufacturer for more information. See Jacquard's website as well as that of Dharma Trading Company.

I am afraid I cannot share any more information on the subject of airbrushing fabric, since it's something I have no experience with, myself.