« 2009 September | Main | 2009 July »
Monday, August 31, 2009
direct dye fades and looks dull
Sunday, August 30, 2009
spilled bleach on shorts and would like to dye them
Friday, August 28, 2009
What type of dye do I need to buy for a worn denim couch?
Message: Hi I was just reading your website and was curious what type of dye do I need to buy for a denim couch? The material is something like denim if not 100% denim, and the cats scratched it to pieces so there are white spots. Thanks for any advice you can give!
You can't dye a denim couch to look like it did originally. Get your couch reupholstered, or buy a book on how to sew your own slipcovers. (And get a clipper to trim your cats' claws every week, so the new cover doesn't get ruined.)
There are several reasons why dyeing a denim couch is a bad idea for a project. One is that you can't dye fabric to get a denim look, because dye will cover the white threads as well as the blue ones, ruining the denim look. Another, more crucial, is that you cannot dye anything that you can't wash; if the fabric can't be removed from your couch, you won't be able to rinse out the excess dye, so, after the dye is dry, it will rub off on the clothing of anyone who sits on it.
Denim is a weave, not a fiber. It's usually made of cotton, but if it's made of polyester it is not suitable for beginning dyers to dye. Denim is a twill weave of two different colors of thread, white yarns going in one direction, with blue threads in the crosswise direction. If you dye denim a solid color, you just end up with dyed twill, which is fine in itself but does not give the denim look at all. (See "What color to choose to get that dark denim look?".)
Dyeing a couch is a terrible idea, if the fabric cannot be removed from the couch for dyeing, because you won't be able to wash out the excess dye. See "I just dyed our white canvas couch yesterday, then early this am when we went to move it inside both of our sets of hands were blue. HELP!", for an example of what can go wrong.
Although dyeing a couch is a bad idea, it is possible to PAINT the couch, if you use a high-quality soft fabric paint. (Never use plain ordinary artists' acrylics or even house paint to color clothing or furniture!) Unfortunately, the cost of doing so is at least as much as making slipcovers, and the paint will wear off much sooner than the slipcovers would wear out. See "Scarlet Zebra's Instructions for Painting Upholstered Furniture".
(Please help support this web site. Thank you.)
Thursday, August 27, 2009
how to dye leggings that are made out of rayon and polyurethane
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Can you please tell me how to wash a tie-dyed shirt?
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
How can I recreate this tie-dyed dress?
Sunday, August 23, 2009
dyeing some small curtains for a boat
Message: I want to dye some small curtains for a boat black. I am not sure what material they are but it is quite thick and a turquoise colour at present. I only have access to a laundrette and therefore will have to dye them by hand. Unfortunately the only dye I have been able to purchase is machine dye. The lady in the shop said that it would be ok if I used hot water and kept stirring it. Please can you advise on this.
Dylon Machine Dye will in many cases work if used in a bucket of hot water, with constant stirring, but only if the fiber content of the curtains is appropriate for the dye. Dylon Machine Dye works very well on cotton, viscose rayon, linen, and other plant fibers, as well as silk. The high-pH additives included in the dye mixture to make it work on cotton will prevent it from working on nylon, and will damage wool. Dylon Machine Dye will not work on polyester or acetate, no matter how much you stir it or heat it; the dye will just wash out, or, if you don't wash it out, will rub off onto other items, ruining them.
Before you bother to try dyeing your curtains, you should try to find out what their fiber content is. Here are two very helpful sites that explain how to do a burn test:
In order to dye your curtains in a cooking pot or bucket, you are going to need a very large one. The fabric must be able to move freely as you stir it; otherwise, you will get a dark-and-light tie-dye effect, not the solid color you are looking for.
I also have a friend trying to dye his cushion covers grey. He has the same problem but also has a pattern of white, grey and pink cheques on the material already. Will this cause dying problems?
As with your curtains, it makes no sense to try to dye the cushion covers without first determining the fiber content. There is no point in trying to dye polyester or acetate with a cotton dye. Also, since dye is transparent, the original pattern will inevitably show up dimly through the added dye, even if the dye works very well. The results can be fine, though; a subtle tone-on-tone design is not always a bad thing.
(Please help support this web site. Thank you.)
Monday, August 10, 2009
bleach spots on 80%cotton/20% poly terrycloth pants
Message: Hello, I am concerned because I have bleach spots on my Terry material pants and they are black. Exactly what type of dye to use, the material says 80% cotton and 20% polyester. Would I have to dye the entire pants or is there a way that I can only dye the bleach spots. Please help me!!! Thank you!!!
Here's the page you need to read:
Sunday, August 09, 2009
Dyeing a white polyester trenchcoat black
Color polyester fabric with fabric paints
Message: Hi, I searched for this on your site & didnt find what I was looking for, so, I hope that this hasnt already been answered. I'm getting ready to dye a White tuxedo type trenchcoat. I wanted the Black one, but it cannot be found anywhere & isnt made anymore. So, I want to buy the White one & permanently dye it solid black. (Here is a link to the coat.)
I'm a complete newb who has only ever dyed a thing or two in my life. I'm looking for the simplest, most permanent way to dye this coat deep black. Also, will the coat hold its shape if dyed?
Thanks for taking the time to read this. :)
Michael
I have to warn you that polyester is a major pain to dye. You cannot dye it with the same dyes you use for other fibers. Dye that works on cotton will not stick to polyester; if you wash it, the dye will all wash out, but if you don't wash it, the dye will rub off onto other clothing and furniture, ruining it, so not washing is simply not an option. Other fibers are much easier to dye. Beginners will do much better to stick to dyeing cotton. Polyester can be dyed only by using the correct type of dye and the correct method.
The best way to dye polyester is to get an enormous cooking pot, not the size you might use for actual cooking, but far larger, say 10 or 20 gallons in size, and boil your garment in the pot, stirring constantly, with a special polyester dye, called disperse dye. You can buy this dye by mail-order from Aljo Mfg in New York or from PRO Chemical & Dye in Massachusetts. Don't forget to also order the smelly carrier compound, which ProChem calls "PRO Dye Carrier NSC", as without it you will only get a medium gray, at best; you must have the carrier chemical (or an enormous pressure cooker) in order to get the full depth of color.
There are two big risks to dyeing polyester by boiling it with the disperse dye: one is that boiling might damage or shrink your garment, and the other is that you might not stir enough to get a perfectly smooth color, in which case some areas will be gray while others are black, not giving the perfect look you want at all.
I think you should contact Manhattan Dyeing Service to see what it will cost to get them to do your dyeing for you. They are the only company I know that will dye a white polyester garment to another color. Their contact information is listed on my page "Where can I find someone to dye my clothing for me?". Few other dyers will consider dyeing polyester.
An easier way to color polyester is by using fabric paint, instead of dye. See "Fabric Paints: a different way to color fibers". This makes a great answer for those who wish to tie-dye a tuxedo, but it will not produce a single solid perfect black, so it's probably not an answer for you.
For more information, please read my page "Dyeing Polyester with Disperse Dyes ".
(Please help support this web site. Thank you.)
direct dye fades and looks dull
Name:
Sarala
Message: Hello, I have dyed a cotton saree using direct dye with 2 table spoon of salt, I have used two colours (half pink and half black,(batik) now the problem is the fabric is looking very dull like old one, kindly tell me what do I do? shall I re-dye again. kindly mail me, please......
How long, after you dyed it, did the saree start to look dull again? Was it a problem immediately after you dyed it, or only after some time and washing?
Dyes fade for several reasons:
1. Most dyes are susceptible to fading from light, but some are more light-sensitive than others; clothing colored with these dyes should be dried without hanging them in direct sunlight. Some direct dyes are fairly light-resistant, but others are highly susceptible to lightfading.
2. Direct dyes tend to wash out quickly. Treatment with a cationic dye fixative will help to prevent this. (See "Commercial Dye Fixatives".) You can apply a cationic dye fixative now in order to prevent further fading, or you can repeat your dyeing and apply the cationic fixative immediately after the first washing.
3. Different dyes require different dyeing conditions; dyes applied incorrectly will fade much more quickly than the same dyes applied correctly. It is important to closely follow the dye manufacturers' instructions when applying the dye.
For example, different direct dyes require different amounts of salt; if you know the Color Index generic names for your direct dyes, it might be possible to learn the correct recipe for using salt and heat to set them, but if you don't know what dyes you have, your only recourse is to very closely follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer of your dyes.
All direct dyes require hot water in order to bond to fabric, which is incompatible with the use of batik wax. I suspect that your problem may be that you did not use the heat required to set your direct dye, since if you had done so it would have melted your batik wax, ruining your project. You will get better results if you use a cool water dye instead of direct dye. Sometimes the use of direct dye at lower-than-optimal temperatures is recommended for batik, but it's much better to use a more washfast cool water dye.
For the brightest and longest-lasting of colors, as well as for cooler temperatures which will not melt your batik wax, I strongly recommend using a different class of dye. Fiber reactive dyes, such as Procion MX, Drimarene K, or Remazol dyes are excellent for this purpose, when used carefully according to an appropriate recipe. (See "About Fiber Reactive Dyes".) Another class of dye which I prefer to avoid for its toxicity is naphthol dye; it gives good results in batik, because no warmth at all is required.
(Please help support this web site. Thank you.)
—ADVERTISEMENTS—
Message: Hello, I have dyed a cotton saree using direct dye with 2 table spoon of salt, I have used two colours (half pink and half black,(batik) now the problem is the fabric is looking very dull like old one, kindly tell me what do I do? shall I re-dye again. kindly mail me, please......
How long, after you dyed it, did the saree start to look dull again? Was it a problem immediately after you dyed it, or only after some time and washing?
Dyes fade for several reasons:
1. Most dyes are susceptible to fading from light, but some are more light-sensitive than others; clothing colored with these dyes should be dried without hanging them in direct sunlight. Some direct dyes are fairly light-resistant, but others are highly susceptible to lightfading.
2. Direct dyes tend to wash out quickly. Treatment with a cationic dye fixative will help to prevent this. (See "Commercial Dye Fixatives".) You can apply a cationic dye fixative now in order to prevent further fading, or you can repeat your dyeing and apply the cationic fixative immediately after the first washing.
3. Different dyes require different dyeing conditions; dyes applied incorrectly will fade much more quickly than the same dyes applied correctly. It is important to closely follow the dye manufacturers' instructions when applying the dye.
For example, different direct dyes require different amounts of salt; if you know the Color Index generic names for your direct dyes, it might be possible to learn the correct recipe for using salt and heat to set them, but if you don't know what dyes you have, your only recourse is to very closely follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer of your dyes.
All direct dyes require hot water in order to bond to fabric, which is incompatible with the use of batik wax. I suspect that your problem may be that you did not use the heat required to set your direct dye, since if you had done so it would have melted your batik wax, ruining your project. You will get better results if you use a cool water dye instead of direct dye. Sometimes the use of direct dye at lower-than-optimal temperatures is recommended for batik, but it's much better to use a more washfast cool water dye.
For the brightest and longest-lasting of colors, as well as for cooler temperatures which will not melt your batik wax, I strongly recommend using a different class of dye. Fiber reactive dyes, such as Procion MX, Drimarene K, or Remazol dyes are excellent for this purpose, when used carefully according to an appropriate recipe. (See "About Fiber Reactive Dyes".) Another class of dye which I prefer to avoid for its toxicity is naphthol dye; it gives good results in batik, because no warmth at all is required.
(Please help support this web site. Thank you.)
Sunday, August 30, 2009
spilled bleach on shorts and would like to dye them
Name:
Mike
Rit Color Remover Removes Dyes
Rit Color Remover works more gently than chlorine bleach, but it must be applied in hot water.
Message: Spilled bleach on a Coral colored pair of shorts and would like to dye them what do you suggest Dye type and color...thanks
What are the shorts made of? I can't even begin to tell you what kind of dye to use without knowing what fiber the shorts are made of. It's essential to match the dye you use to what it's made of. A dye that works on cotton will not work on polyester, while a dye that works on polyester is difficult for novice dyers to get to work right.
In addition, dye often fails to cover stains well. Because dye is transparent, the areas that are lighter in color before dyeing will still be lighter than the rest of the garment after dyeing. You may be able to lighten the rest of the garment using a product such as Rit Color Remover, and then follow this step by dyeing with a fiber reactive dye, if your shorts are made of cotton or another natural fiber.
I recommend that you look at the FAQ question from my site, "Help! I ruined clothing by spattering bleach. How can I fix it?", which offers some suggestions and explanation.
(Please help support this web site. Thank you.)
—ADVERTISEMENTS—
Rit Color RemoverRit Color Remover Removes Dyes
Rit Color Remover works more gently than chlorine bleach, but it must be applied in hot water.
Message: Spilled bleach on a Coral colored pair of shorts and would like to dye them what do you suggest Dye type and color...thanks
What are the shorts made of? I can't even begin to tell you what kind of dye to use without knowing what fiber the shorts are made of. It's essential to match the dye you use to what it's made of. A dye that works on cotton will not work on polyester, while a dye that works on polyester is difficult for novice dyers to get to work right.
In addition, dye often fails to cover stains well. Because dye is transparent, the areas that are lighter in color before dyeing will still be lighter than the rest of the garment after dyeing. You may be able to lighten the rest of the garment using a product such as Rit Color Remover, and then follow this step by dyeing with a fiber reactive dye, if your shorts are made of cotton or another natural fiber.
I recommend that you look at the FAQ question from my site, "Help! I ruined clothing by spattering bleach. How can I fix it?", which offers some suggestions and explanation.
(Please help support this web site. Thank you.)
Friday, August 28, 2009
What type of dye do I need to buy for a worn denim couch?
Name: Jon
—ADVERTISEMENT—
—ADVERTISEMENT—
Message: Hi I was just reading your website and was curious what type of dye do I need to buy for a denim couch? The material is something like denim if not 100% denim, and the cats scratched it to pieces so there are white spots. Thanks for any advice you can give!
You can't dye a denim couch to look like it did originally. Get your couch reupholstered, or buy a book on how to sew your own slipcovers. (And get a clipper to trim your cats' claws every week, so the new cover doesn't get ruined.)
There are several reasons why dyeing a denim couch is a bad idea for a project. One is that you can't dye fabric to get a denim look, because dye will cover the white threads as well as the blue ones, ruining the denim look. Another, more crucial, is that you cannot dye anything that you can't wash; if the fabric can't be removed from your couch, you won't be able to rinse out the excess dye, so, after the dye is dry, it will rub off on the clothing of anyone who sits on it.
Denim is a weave, not a fiber. It's usually made of cotton, but if it's made of polyester it is not suitable for beginning dyers to dye. Denim is a twill weave of two different colors of thread, white yarns going in one direction, with blue threads in the crosswise direction. If you dye denim a solid color, you just end up with dyed twill, which is fine in itself but does not give the denim look at all. (See "What color to choose to get that dark denim look?".)
Dyeing a couch is a terrible idea, if the fabric cannot be removed from the couch for dyeing, because you won't be able to wash out the excess dye. See "I just dyed our white canvas couch yesterday, then early this am when we went to move it inside both of our sets of hands were blue. HELP!", for an example of what can go wrong.
Although dyeing a couch is a bad idea, it is possible to PAINT the couch, if you use a high-quality soft fabric paint. (Never use plain ordinary artists' acrylics or even house paint to color clothing or furniture!) Unfortunately, the cost of doing so is at least as much as making slipcovers, and the paint will wear off much sooner than the slipcovers would wear out. See "Scarlet Zebra's Instructions for Painting Upholstered Furniture".
(Please help support this web site. Thank you.)
Thursday, August 27, 2009
how to dye leggings that are made out of rayon and polyurethane
Name:
Estefani
Message: Hi, I just bought leggings that are made out of rayon and polyurethane. They are gray and I want to dye them black. what kind of dye do you recommend?
The polyurethane is probably the stretch fiber. Lycra® spandex is made from polyurethane.
In most cases, the thread from which these garments are woven or knitted are made by spinning cotton or rayon fibers around a stretch polyurethane core. As a result, the synthetic fiber is not on the surface where you can see it or feel it, except when the fabric is actively being stretched.
This means that the best way to dye most such blends is by dyeing only the cellulose fiber, in this case the rayon, using a cool water dye. There is no need to dye the polyurethane itself, because it is hidden. This is a good thing, because the temperatures required for successful dyeing of polyurethane will probably make any garment that contains it lose its shape. Polyurethane requires a different sort of dye than rayon does; you're better off not even trying to dye it. So, just ignore the polyurethane, except as an inspiration to keep the water temperature low, and get a good dye for the rayon.
I recommend that you use a fiber reactive dye, such as Procion MX dye, at temperatures below the maximum for laundering as indicated on the care label. Procion MX dye works very well on viscose rayon at room temperature. If the care label does not specify the maximum temperature, keep it below 105°F (41°C). Drimarene K dyes are also highly suitable. Remazol fiber reactive dye prefers higher temperatures but will work at 105°F. Avoid using any hot water dye, including all "all-purpose" dyes such as Rit All-Purpose Dye or Tintex Easy Fabric Dye, because the heat required to set these dyes is likely to damage your leggings.
For more information, please see my page "How to Dye Spandex".
(Please help support this web site. Thank you.)
—ADVERTISEMENTS—
Message: Hi, I just bought leggings that are made out of rayon and polyurethane. They are gray and I want to dye them black. what kind of dye do you recommend?
The polyurethane is probably the stretch fiber. Lycra® spandex is made from polyurethane.
In most cases, the thread from which these garments are woven or knitted are made by spinning cotton or rayon fibers around a stretch polyurethane core. As a result, the synthetic fiber is not on the surface where you can see it or feel it, except when the fabric is actively being stretched.
This means that the best way to dye most such blends is by dyeing only the cellulose fiber, in this case the rayon, using a cool water dye. There is no need to dye the polyurethane itself, because it is hidden. This is a good thing, because the temperatures required for successful dyeing of polyurethane will probably make any garment that contains it lose its shape. Polyurethane requires a different sort of dye than rayon does; you're better off not even trying to dye it. So, just ignore the polyurethane, except as an inspiration to keep the water temperature low, and get a good dye for the rayon.
I recommend that you use a fiber reactive dye, such as Procion MX dye, at temperatures below the maximum for laundering as indicated on the care label. Procion MX dye works very well on viscose rayon at room temperature. If the care label does not specify the maximum temperature, keep it below 105°F (41°C). Drimarene K dyes are also highly suitable. Remazol fiber reactive dye prefers higher temperatures but will work at 105°F. Avoid using any hot water dye, including all "all-purpose" dyes such as Rit All-Purpose Dye or Tintex Easy Fabric Dye, because the heat required to set these dyes is likely to damage your leggings.
For more information, please see my page "How to Dye Spandex".
(Please help support this web site. Thank you.)
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Can you please tell me how to wash a tie-dyed shirt?
Name:
Allison
Message: Hi, I have searched and searched, but to no avail! Can you please tell me how to wash my daughter's tie-dyed shirt? She dyed it at gym camp and the director told me I could just put it in the wash, however when I put it in the sink the color was still running right out of it. I am so frustrated and it was irresponsible of the camp to not provide adequate care since they have do this once a week all summer long. Thank you for your time, sincerely, Allison :)
Assuming that they used good tie-dye dyes and followed the correct procedure, the right thing to do is wash once in cool water (which you've already done in the sink), then wash two or three times in the hottest water available, preferably at least 140°F. It is fine to use a washing machine and dryer, but hand washing is also acceptable. After the dye is applied, it's a good rule to always wait at least overnight, keeping the dyed items in a warm place in order to allow the reaction to complete, before washing out for the first time.
The initial cool water washing removes any salt or other auxiliary chemicals, plus some of the unattached excess dye. Removing the last of the unattached excess dye works best with very hot water, and good fiber-reactive tie-dye dyes will not wash out at any temperature.
This procedure must never be used for Rit or Tintex dyes, by the way, but it is best to never use all-purpose dyes for tie-dyeing, anyway. Other brands of tie-dye kits, which contain fiber reactive dyes, produce much better results. If you need to wash a garment that has been dyed with Rit dye, be sure to always hand wash each one, separately from other garments, in cool water.
(Please help support this web site. Thank you.)
—ADVERTISEMENTS—
Message: Hi, I have searched and searched, but to no avail! Can you please tell me how to wash my daughter's tie-dyed shirt? She dyed it at gym camp and the director told me I could just put it in the wash, however when I put it in the sink the color was still running right out of it. I am so frustrated and it was irresponsible of the camp to not provide adequate care since they have do this once a week all summer long. Thank you for your time, sincerely, Allison :)
Assuming that they used good tie-dye dyes and followed the correct procedure, the right thing to do is wash once in cool water (which you've already done in the sink), then wash two or three times in the hottest water available, preferably at least 140°F. It is fine to use a washing machine and dryer, but hand washing is also acceptable. After the dye is applied, it's a good rule to always wait at least overnight, keeping the dyed items in a warm place in order to allow the reaction to complete, before washing out for the first time.
The initial cool water washing removes any salt or other auxiliary chemicals, plus some of the unattached excess dye. Removing the last of the unattached excess dye works best with very hot water, and good fiber-reactive tie-dye dyes will not wash out at any temperature.
This procedure must never be used for Rit or Tintex dyes, by the way, but it is best to never use all-purpose dyes for tie-dyeing, anyway. Other brands of tie-dye kits, which contain fiber reactive dyes, produce much better results. If you need to wash a garment that has been dyed with Rit dye, be sure to always hand wash each one, separately from other garments, in cool water.
(Please help support this web site. Thank you.)
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
How can I recreate this tie-dyed dress?
Message: Dear
Paula,
I am trying to recreate a dress that was stolen from me and I need some help to do so. The dress had a tie-dye pattern, but it was a bit complex. The pattern was a few strips with white lines across. It was a tie dyed strip and the lines were bleached in.
It looks to me like a good way to do this would be in two steps. First, use the usual tie-dye recipe, with yellow, terra-cotta, and dark brown Procion MX dyes, on the dress, either untied or loosely tied. After washing out, wrap a string, such as dental floss or artificial sinew (my favorite) from the crafts store or dye seller, tightly around the dress, horizontally. Wrap the string extremely tightly. You can see the horizontal string marks in your picture; this is not bleach, but instead the dye-resisting effect of the string. Brush or squirt on a reddish brown Procion MX dye, using the usual tie-dye recipe. You will never get the exact same design, since tie-dyeing varies from piece to piece, but you can get a very similar look that you will love.
See these two pages for standard tie-dyeing instructions: How to Tie Dye and How to Dye.
Do not use all-purpose dyes such as Rit or Tintex, as their results will not be satisfactory. Procion MX dyes and other fiber reactive dyes are greatly superior. You will want to mail-order the specific dye colors of interest to you from a good dye supplier such as Dharma Trading Company or PRO Chemical & Dye; you should not expect to get a perfect color match, but instead be happy with similar colors. You will also need the other ingredients from a tie-dye kit, which you can order from your dye supplier, or, in many cases, find locally: soda ash (look for sodium carbonate at the hardware store in the pool supply section, or order with your dye), urea (order with your dye), water softener (sodium hexametaphosphate - order with your dye), plastic squirt bottles, disposable gloves, and a dust mask to wear when you're mixing up the dye powders.
You can sometimes find Jacquard Procion MX dye locally from a very good arts supply or crafts supply store, but this is unusual. Tie-dye kits work well (unless they are either Rit brand kits, or other brands of kits that are past their expiration date), but, since they contain the colors magenta, turquoise, and yellow, or sometimes red, blue, and yellow, they will not produce the colors you want at all easily. It's better to buy the colors you want, since you are a novice dyer. Buying by mail-order from a good supplier is cheaper and gives you far more dye color choices than you can find at most arts or crafts stores.
Do you have a white dress to dye? It will need to be made of a dyeable material, such as cotton, viscose rayon, or silk. Look at the dyeable blank dresses sold online by Dharma Trading Company if you need a source.
(Please help support this web site. Thank you.)
—ADVERTISEMENTS—
I am trying to recreate a dress that was stolen from me and I need some help to do so. The dress had a tie-dye pattern, but it was a bit complex. The pattern was a few strips with white lines across. It was a tie dyed strip and the lines were bleached in.
It looks to me like a good way to do this would be in two steps. First, use the usual tie-dye recipe, with yellow, terra-cotta, and dark brown Procion MX dyes, on the dress, either untied or loosely tied. After washing out, wrap a string, such as dental floss or artificial sinew (my favorite) from the crafts store or dye seller, tightly around the dress, horizontally. Wrap the string extremely tightly. You can see the horizontal string marks in your picture; this is not bleach, but instead the dye-resisting effect of the string. Brush or squirt on a reddish brown Procion MX dye, using the usual tie-dye recipe. You will never get the exact same design, since tie-dyeing varies from piece to piece, but you can get a very similar look that you will love.
See these two pages for standard tie-dyeing instructions: How to Tie Dye and How to Dye.
Do not use all-purpose dyes such as Rit or Tintex, as their results will not be satisfactory. Procion MX dyes and other fiber reactive dyes are greatly superior. You will want to mail-order the specific dye colors of interest to you from a good dye supplier such as Dharma Trading Company or PRO Chemical & Dye; you should not expect to get a perfect color match, but instead be happy with similar colors. You will also need the other ingredients from a tie-dye kit, which you can order from your dye supplier, or, in many cases, find locally: soda ash (look for sodium carbonate at the hardware store in the pool supply section, or order with your dye), urea (order with your dye), water softener (sodium hexametaphosphate - order with your dye), plastic squirt bottles, disposable gloves, and a dust mask to wear when you're mixing up the dye powders.
You can sometimes find Jacquard Procion MX dye locally from a very good arts supply or crafts supply store, but this is unusual. Tie-dye kits work well (unless they are either Rit brand kits, or other brands of kits that are past their expiration date), but, since they contain the colors magenta, turquoise, and yellow, or sometimes red, blue, and yellow, they will not produce the colors you want at all easily. It's better to buy the colors you want, since you are a novice dyer. Buying by mail-order from a good supplier is cheaper and gives you far more dye color choices than you can find at most arts or crafts stores.
Do you have a white dress to dye? It will need to be made of a dyeable material, such as cotton, viscose rayon, or silk. Look at the dyeable blank dresses sold online by Dharma Trading Company if you need a source.
(Please help support this web site. Thank you.)
Sunday, August 23, 2009
dyeing some small curtains for a boat
Name: Tina
—ADVERTISEMENTS—
Message: I want to dye some small curtains for a boat black. I am not sure what material they are but it is quite thick and a turquoise colour at present. I only have access to a laundrette and therefore will have to dye them by hand. Unfortunately the only dye I have been able to purchase is machine dye. The lady in the shop said that it would be ok if I used hot water and kept stirring it. Please can you advise on this.
Dylon Machine Dye will in many cases work if used in a bucket of hot water, with constant stirring, but only if the fiber content of the curtains is appropriate for the dye. Dylon Machine Dye works very well on cotton, viscose rayon, linen, and other plant fibers, as well as silk. The high-pH additives included in the dye mixture to make it work on cotton will prevent it from working on nylon, and will damage wool. Dylon Machine Dye will not work on polyester or acetate, no matter how much you stir it or heat it; the dye will just wash out, or, if you don't wash it out, will rub off onto other items, ruining them.
Before you bother to try dyeing your curtains, you should try to find out what their fiber content is. Here are two very helpful sites that explain how to do a burn test:
In order to dye your curtains in a cooking pot or bucket, you are going to need a very large one. The fabric must be able to move freely as you stir it; otherwise, you will get a dark-and-light tie-dye effect, not the solid color you are looking for.
I also have a friend trying to dye his cushion covers grey. He has the same problem but also has a pattern of white, grey and pink cheques on the material already. Will this cause dying problems?
As with your curtains, it makes no sense to try to dye the cushion covers without first determining the fiber content. There is no point in trying to dye polyester or acetate with a cotton dye. Also, since dye is transparent, the original pattern will inevitably show up dimly through the added dye, even if the dye works very well. The results can be fine, though; a subtle tone-on-tone design is not always a bad thing.
(Please help support this web site. Thank you.)
Monday, August 10, 2009
bleach spots on 80%cotton/20% poly terrycloth pants
Name: Sandra
—ADVERTISEMENT—
Message: Hello, I am concerned because I have bleach spots on my Terry material pants and they are black. Exactly what type of dye to use, the material says 80% cotton and 20% polyester. Would I have to dye the entire pants or is there a way that I can only dye the bleach spots. Please help me!!! Thank you!!!
Here's the page you need to read:
How
can I fix bleach spots on clothing?
If you dye the pants, only the 80% of the fiber that is cotton will take the color. This means that you will only be able to produce a dark gray, not a black to match the rest of the fabric. Using a marker, as described on that page, is the best thing to try, though the results will not be perfect.
(Please help support this web site. Thank you.)
If you dye the pants, only the 80% of the fiber that is cotton will take the color. This means that you will only be able to produce a dark gray, not a black to match the rest of the fabric. Using a marker, as described on that page, is the best thing to try, though the results will not be perfect.
(Please help support this web site. Thank you.)
Sunday, August 09, 2009
Dyeing a white polyester trenchcoat black
Name: Michael
—ADVERTISEMENT—
Dye polyester and poly/cotton blends
Stainless Steel 10 Gallon Stock Pot with Lid
Color polyester fabric with fabric paints
Message: Hi, I searched for this on your site & didnt find what I was looking for, so, I hope that this hasnt already been answered. I'm getting ready to dye a White tuxedo type trenchcoat. I wanted the Black one, but it cannot be found anywhere & isnt made anymore. So, I want to buy the White one & permanently dye it solid black. (Here is a link to the coat.)
I'm a complete newb who has only ever dyed a thing or two in my life. I'm looking for the simplest, most permanent way to dye this coat deep black. Also, will the coat hold its shape if dyed?
Thanks for taking the time to read this. :)
Michael
I have to warn you that polyester is a major pain to dye. You cannot dye it with the same dyes you use for other fibers. Dye that works on cotton will not stick to polyester; if you wash it, the dye will all wash out, but if you don't wash it, the dye will rub off onto other clothing and furniture, ruining it, so not washing is simply not an option. Other fibers are much easier to dye. Beginners will do much better to stick to dyeing cotton. Polyester can be dyed only by using the correct type of dye and the correct method.
The best way to dye polyester is to get an enormous cooking pot, not the size you might use for actual cooking, but far larger, say 10 or 20 gallons in size, and boil your garment in the pot, stirring constantly, with a special polyester dye, called disperse dye. You can buy this dye by mail-order from Aljo Mfg in New York or from PRO Chemical & Dye in Massachusetts. Don't forget to also order the smelly carrier compound, which ProChem calls "PRO Dye Carrier NSC", as without it you will only get a medium gray, at best; you must have the carrier chemical (or an enormous pressure cooker) in order to get the full depth of color.
There are two big risks to dyeing polyester by boiling it with the disperse dye: one is that boiling might damage or shrink your garment, and the other is that you might not stir enough to get a perfectly smooth color, in which case some areas will be gray while others are black, not giving the perfect look you want at all.
I think you should contact Manhattan Dyeing Service to see what it will cost to get them to do your dyeing for you. They are the only company I know that will dye a white polyester garment to another color. Their contact information is listed on my page "Where can I find someone to dye my clothing for me?". Few other dyers will consider dyeing polyester.
An easier way to color polyester is by using fabric paint, instead of dye. See "Fabric Paints: a different way to color fibers". This makes a great answer for those who wish to tie-dye a tuxedo, but it will not produce a single solid perfect black, so it's probably not an answer for you.
For more information, please read my page "Dyeing Polyester with Disperse Dyes ".
(Please help support this web site. Thank you.)