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Tuesday, April 26, 2011
How can I measure the right amount of acid dye to use for a particular color?
Linda Knutson's
Synthetic Dyes for Natural Fibers
White paper bake cups
White paper disposable muffin tin liners make good laboratory weigh dishes for weighing out dye powder
Country or region: Michigan
Message: I'm trying to custom match wool/nylon sock yarn to a specific tartan. I use ProChem dyes, and they were kind enough to suggest a combination of 0.85% Flavine Yellow, 0.1% Brilliant Blue, and 0.05% Bright Orange. I am so lost!! I usually measure and achieve good results, but this is for socks for a national champion and I'm not sure what to do with this. Please point me in the right direction on measuring and mixing. I do have a decent scale, and my daughter is a chemical engineering major - she'll be on hand to help. I have reviewed your website and found some applicable posts, but I'm not sure how to combine these suggestions. Thanks so much for any assistance you can provide.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Name: Bernie
The Monster Makers Mask Makers Handbook takes you from start to finish, through design, sculpture, molding, casting, and painting of a Super-Deluxe Latex Rubber Halloween Mask.
Country or region: Cinti, Ohio
Message: What dye can you recommend for latex rubber?
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
What dyes and dye removers are best for customizing denim? Name: Carol
Country or region: UK
Message: Hi, I currently customise denim shorts with distressing, adding studs and rhinestones, etc. I want to move into dyeing, too, and considered dip dyeing denim shorts and to also use some techniques you have shown on your site. If I want to use yellow and lighter shades, what would I need to do to blue denim first? My main question is as to what dyes will work best for me. I have considered bleach on the darker jeans. What would you suggest?
Before you can dye jeans, you will need to lighten the color. Since dyes are transparent, they will not cover any but a very light color. However, if the denim is already worn to white in some spots, you can get an interesting effect by overdyeing with a bright color. If you use yellow dye on blue denim, you will get green.
As you probably already know, the big problem with dyeing denim is that you will never be able to get a true denim effect. Looking closely at a piece of denim fabric, you can see that the warp yarns, which are the lengthwise threads used to weave the denim, are all blue, while the weft yarns, which are the widthwise threads used to fill in, are white. A fabric will no longer look like denim if the white threads are dyed to any color other than white. After garment dyeing, denim turns into plain twill. There can be a nice subtle effect after dyeing, in which the white threads become brightly colored, while the originally dark threads only become darker.
Ordinary household bleach, the type whose main ingredient is sodium hypochlorite, is a good choice for lightening the color of denim jeans. The gentler color remover products we prefer for other fabrics don't work properly on the indigo blue dye used to dye denim. See "What chemicals can be used to remove dye?".
Procion MX fiber reactive dye is an excellent choice for dyeing cotton. It's easier to mix the colors you want with Procion MX dyes than with Dylon dyes. Dylon dyes will work well for solid-color dyeing, because they, too, contain fiber reactive dyes, but they are less versatile for gradations and direct dye application. If you don't have a local source for purchasing Procion dyes, you can find several dye suppliers in the UK listed in the Europe section of my page of "Sources for Dyeing Supplies Around the World". You will also need soda ash or washing soda, to set the dye.
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Monday, April 18, 2011
Looking for chemical structure of Remazol Ultra Yellow RGBN Name: Vijayalakshmi
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Questions about a bleach-damaged cotton/spandex suit
Several points:
There is probably additional damage that you can't see. Spandex should never be bleached, because it is highly sensitive to the hypochlorite that is the active ingredient in Clorox and other brands of household bleach. You can expect to see more holes developing every time you wash this suit. It is probably too late for neutralizing the hypochlorite to do much good, but, if you are going to keep the suit, it's worth a try. The simplest method is to buy a bottle of ordinary 3% hydrogen peroxide from the first aid section of your local pharmacy, use it to drench the bleached spots, and then wash the suit again with water. See "How can I neutralize the damaging effects of chlorine bleach?".
If the hole was caused by the bleach, I'd give up and throw the suit away now, but if the hole is unrelated, it would probably be best to sew it up, using mercerized cotton thread, before you wash or do anything else with it again. Every bit of wear will increase the size of the hole. Depending on the size and shape of the hole, you might do better to patch over it instead of stitching it closed, perhaps with some sort of appliqué. To hide the hole as much as possible, apply the patch on the reverse side of the fabric.
There is no such thing as a white dye. You cannot use dye to lighten a color from tan to white. Since dye is transparent, dyeing can only darken a color, never lighten it. For lightening the color of a garment, use a color remover, not dye: see "What chemicals can be used to remove dye?".
Dyeing bleach-spotted garments is a problem, because the white spots remain lighter than the rest of the garment even after you dye the garment. The best solution is often to fill in the lightened spots with a permanent fabric marker before dyeing the entire garment a darker color. If you can find a fabric marker of the exact right color to fill in the spots, dyeing the entire garment may not even be necessary. See "How can I fix the bleach spots on my favorite clothing?".
The recipe you saw which advocates pre-soaking in soda ash before apply Procion MX dye is an excellent choice when you want to dye one piece in multiple colors. (The urea is used as a humectant in direct dye application; see "What is urea for? Is it necessary?".) Procion MX is an ideal dye for dyeing cotton/spandex blends. However, this method of dye application is not the best choice for dyeing a garment a single solid color. Instead, I recommend that you dye your suit in the washing machine: see "How can I dye clothing or fabric in the washing machine?". You will need Procion MX dye, soda ash, and several pounds of ordinary non-iodized table salt. Urea is not needed for high water ratio immersion dyeing. You can use ordinary laundry detergent instead of Synthrapol, if you prefer.
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Saturday, April 16, 2011
How can I get a royal blue color with a mix of naphthol bases? Name: Swapnil
Asim Kumar Roy Choudhury's
Country or region: India
Message: How to get royal blue color (as of Chelpark royal blue ink) in batik, am asking for a mix of naphthol base or any other manner?
I need to make a batik with peacock blue, cobalt blue and scarlet. Waxing is no problem but it's the color, all need to go on white base and availability of colors in New Delhi is also in question. pls help
Because we do not use naphthol dyes for hand dyeing in my country, due to the dangers of using some of the dye components, I'm afraid that I have no personal experience to offer.
Blue is supposed to be obtainable by mixing Naphthol Base AS-LB (Colour Index Azoic Coupling Compound 15) with Fast Blue B diazonium salt; see the chart on the page "About Naphthol Dyes". Note that Fast Blue B diazonium salt is significantly hazardous to work with, because not only is it very toxic and suspected of causing cancer, unlike most dyes it can be absorbed directly through unbroken skin. Never use naphthol dye components without a very high degree of protective materials. You must not get even a drop of any of these chemicals on your skin. Other classes of dyes are much safer for the user.
A good source for detailed information on the use of naphthol dyes is the book Textile Preparation and Dyeing, by Asim Kumar Roy Choudhury.
For other classes of dye, it is typical to use a cyan-colored dye as a mixing primary, combining it with no more than a tiny amount of magenta to make a peacock blue, and using a larger proportion of the magenta, though still much less than of the cyan, to make a royal blue. Since the color scarlet contains some yellow, it cannot be used in batik with royal blue unless direct dye application is used, allowing colors to be placed on different parts of the design, instead of immersing the entire piece in both scarlet and royal blue at different times (which would result in a brownish purple where they overlap). Direct dye application works very well in combination with batik if you use a cool-water fiber reactive dye, such as Procion MX dye or Drimarene K dye. See "About Fiber Reactive Dyes"
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Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Can I use fabric paint on a 100% polypropylene hat?
Country or region: USA
Message: I have searched your site, and can not find info. on using fabric paint on a 100% polypropylene hat. The hat is a Sunday hat type that women wear to church. Kind of a bowl shape with a wide brim. It has a woven, straw look to it. Can you use fabric paint to change the color?
Sunday, April 10, 2011
I need to know the correct mixture for the Dupont French Silk Dye Thinner
from a master
DVD: Silk Painting
With Jill Kennedy
Silk Painting: The Artist's Guide to Gutta and Wax Resist Techniques
by Susan Moyer
Country or region: United States
Message: Hi Paula,
I'm wondering if you can help with my silk painting...I have been using Jacquard dyes for years but now transitioning to Dupont French Silk Dye. I need to know the correct mixture for the Dupont French Silk Dye Thinner. I've followed Dharma instructions on their site but the dye seems to separate on the silk. Can you help?
"Sennelier Tinfix dyes are irritating my throat and affecting my voice. Are they toxic?"
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Saturday, April 09, 2011
Where in Saudi Arabia can I learn how to dye? Name: Elsa
Advanced Tie Dye Techniques: Making Shapes and Mandalas
Ann Johnston's book
Friday, April 08, 2011
Can I use Procion dyes with vinegar to dye play silks?
Country or region: USA, Virginia
Message: Can I use Procion dyes on silk if I use the same method that I would with acid dye, i.e., use vinegar in the solution? I have been dyeing play silks with food coloring and they tend to fade and to wash out when washed. Is my best bet acid dye only? Many thanks, your site is really good!!!
Wednesday, April 06, 2011
Where can I find someone to redye my discoloured modacrylic coat?
Country or region: England
Message: I have a white long modacrylic coat. I have worn it only when I was in Austria one Christmas. I cannot wear the coat as it has discoloured although I have had it in the correct cover. I would like to know please if and where I could have it dyed. I dare not risk dyeing the coat myself. I will look forward to your response. I love the coat but it is so discloured I cannot wear it.
Monday, April 04, 2011
Where can I find liquid sodium silicate in Australia?
Ceramix sells sodium silicate
via Amazon
Sodium Silicate
Sold by Ceramix
"We carry everything for the ceramic crafter"
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How can I measure the right amount of acid dye to use for a particular color?
Name: Bobbie
Linda Knutson's
Synthetic Dyes for Natural Fibers
White paper bake cups
White paper disposable muffin tin liners make good laboratory weigh dishes for weighing out dye powder
Country or region: Michigan
Message: I'm trying to custom match wool/nylon sock yarn to a specific tartan. I use ProChem dyes, and they were kind enough to suggest a combination of 0.85% Flavine Yellow, 0.1% Brilliant Blue, and 0.05% Bright Orange. I am so lost!! I usually measure and achieve good results, but this is for socks for a national champion and I'm not sure what to do with this. Please point me in the right direction on measuring and mixing. I do have a decent scale, and my daughter is a chemical engineering major - she'll be on hand to help. I have reviewed your website and found some applicable posts, but I'm not sure how to combine these suggestions. Thanks so much for any assistance you can provide.
The numbers that ProChem gave you are meant to be used for weight measurements, as compared to the dry weight of the fiber you are dyeing.
For example, if you are dyeing 200 grams (about 7 ounces) of sock yarn, for the Flavine Yellow, you will want to use 200 times 0.85 divided by 100. (Percent means "divided by 100".) That works out to 1.7 grams. For the same 200 grams of fiber, you would use 0.2 grams of Brilliant Blue, and 0.1 grams Bright Orange.
Weigh your fiber so that you can use a calculator to figure out the exact weight of dye needed. If you are dyeing one pound of yarn, that is the same as 454 grams, which would require 3.9 grams of Flavine Yellow, 0.45 grams of Brilliant Blue, and 0.22 grams of Bright Orange. (454 grams of fiber, times 0.85 divided by 100, works out to 3.859 grams, which rounds off to 3.9 grams of dye powder.)
The next problem is that, even if you have a good scale for weighing out your dye, you do not have a scale capable of accurately weighing such small quantities. The answer is to prepare a dilution of your dye in water, so that you can measure out just a small part of it, so as to get just the right amount. You will need some reliable laboratory-type tools for measuring the volume of liquids that are required. Kitchen measuring cups and spoons tend to be inaccurate enough that they could cause difficulties in measuring the amounts you need.
I would start with a plastic graduated cylinder in each of three sizes: one liter, 500-milliliter, and 100-milliter. To dissolve your acid dye, place about 300 to 500 milliliters of boiling water into a glass or stainless steel container, such as a one-quart Pyrex glass kitchen measuring cup. While rapidly stirring the water with a stainless steel spoon or a glass stirring rod, gradually pour in 10 grams of acid dye powder, which you have already weighed out using your scale. (Use a piece of waxed paper on your scale to measure the dye powder onto, or a paper cupcake liner or a disposable plastic weigh boat.) After the dye is completely dissolved in the water, so that there are no particles of dye powder suspended in the water and there is no dye at the bottom of the container, pour the mixture into your graduated cylinder. Add more water to bring the total up to exactly 1000 milliliters, which is one liter. This is a 1% stock solution. Some acid dyes can dissolve well at concentrations up to 10% (100 grams per liter), but some cannot dissolve well at more than 1%.
Store this acid dye stock solution in clearly labeled glass or plastic bottles with screw-on caps. Use tape or self-adhesive labels to write on, since permanent marker will be too difficult to read on a bottle containing dark dye. The stock solutions should stay good for six months at room temperature. Be careful, before using it, that none of the dye has settled out on the bottom of the container; if it does, you will need to reheat and stir or shake until the dye has dissolved again. If mold forms, you will need to filter it out before use.
Given a 10-grams-per-liter stock solution, which is a 1% stock solution, you can then easily measure out just as much dye as you need by volume, instead of weight, and still get the precision and accuracy of having weighed your dyes out. (Measuring dye powder by volume, using a teaspoon, gives less reproducible results, because dyes are standardized and sold by weight, not by volume.) Ten milliliters of this stock solution contains 0.1 grams; a hundred milliliters contains 1.0 grams. Going back to the calculations made above, to measure out 3.9 grams of Flavin Yellow, you will need 390 milliliters of a 1% stock solution. For the 0.45 grams you need of Brilliant Blue, if you're dyeing one pound of yarn, you will need to measure out 45 milliliters of a 1% stock solution.
(Use the smallest size graduated cylinder you have that will hold a given volume. Measure the 390 mls in a 500-ml cylinder, and measure the 45 ml in the 100-ml cylinder. Don't measure a small volume like 45 ml in the large 1-liter cylinder, because the measurement will be less precise.)
I will assume that you are using ProChem's recipe for Immersion Dyeing Wool using WashFast Acid Dyes [PDF]. Note that this recipe is for one pound, or 454 grams, of yarn. For larger or smaller quantities, you can scale the other ingredients up or down by the same amount. You will need to add salt, Synthrapol, and some sort of acid such as distilled white vinegar, or citric acid powder, as described in the recipe.
For more details on how to prepare stock solutions of dye, and how to use the metric system if it is new to you, I strongly recommend Linda Knutson's book, Synthetic Dyes for Natural Fibers, which is long out of print but still available used online for less than twenty dollars.
To buy plastic graduated cylinders, you can look at an online laboratory supplies company, such as Ward Scientific, or American Science and Surplus. Amazon now carries a reasonable assortment of labware, which makes it very easy to find.
(Please help support this web site. Thank you.)
(Please help support this web site. Thank you.)
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Name: Bernie
—ADVERTISEMENTS—
The Monster Makers Mask Makers Handbook takes you from start to finish, through design, sculpture, molding, casting, and painting of a Super-Deluxe Latex Rubber Halloween Mask.
Message: What dye can you recommend for latex rubber?
I recommend that you add pigments, rather than dye, to the liquid rubber, before using it to cast the product made from it. There's a variety of pigments that might be suitable, but avoid any that contain metal pigments that may coagulate the latex. A good source of the right sort of pigments might be The Monster Makers, who sell latex colorants. (I have never used their products, so I can't give you a review of them.)
Are you casting the latex rubber yourself, or working with preformed latex rubber? Coloring latex is much more difficult to do well after it has solidified. You can use paint, but you might find some problems with flaking. It's better to use pigments to cast latex of approximately the right color, and then apply paint afterwards for detail work.
For coloring solid rubber products, there is a product called rubber dye, sold under the brand name Rubberbond. I don't know anything about it, but it would seem like your best bet to try, though rather expensive. Krylon Fusion for Plastics is not recommended for latex rubber.
Are you casting the latex rubber yourself, or working with preformed latex rubber? Coloring latex is much more difficult to do well after it has solidified. You can use paint, but you might find some problems with flaking. It's better to use pigments to cast latex of approximately the right color, and then apply paint afterwards for detail work.
For coloring solid rubber products, there is a product called rubber dye, sold under the brand name Rubberbond. I don't know anything about it, but it would seem like your best bet to try, though rather expensive. Krylon Fusion for Plastics is not recommended for latex rubber.
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Tuesday, April 19, 2011
What dyes and dye removers are best for customizing denim? Name: Carol
—ADVERTISEMENTS—
Hypochlorite
Message: Hi, I currently customise denim shorts with distressing, adding studs and rhinestones, etc. I want to move into dyeing, too, and considered dip dyeing denim shorts and to also use some techniques you have shown on your site. If I want to use yellow and lighter shades, what would I need to do to blue denim first? My main question is as to what dyes will work best for me. I have considered bleach on the darker jeans. What would you suggest?
Before you can dye jeans, you will need to lighten the color. Since dyes are transparent, they will not cover any but a very light color. However, if the denim is already worn to white in some spots, you can get an interesting effect by overdyeing with a bright color. If you use yellow dye on blue denim, you will get green.
As you probably already know, the big problem with dyeing denim is that you will never be able to get a true denim effect. Looking closely at a piece of denim fabric, you can see that the warp yarns, which are the lengthwise threads used to weave the denim, are all blue, while the weft yarns, which are the widthwise threads used to fill in, are white. A fabric will no longer look like denim if the white threads are dyed to any color other than white. After garment dyeing, denim turns into plain twill. There can be a nice subtle effect after dyeing, in which the white threads become brightly colored, while the originally dark threads only become darker.
Ordinary household bleach, the type whose main ingredient is sodium hypochlorite, is a good choice for lightening the color of denim jeans. The gentler color remover products we prefer for other fabrics don't work properly on the indigo blue dye used to dye denim. See "What chemicals can be used to remove dye?".
Procion MX fiber reactive dye is an excellent choice for dyeing cotton. It's easier to mix the colors you want with Procion MX dyes than with Dylon dyes. Dylon dyes will work well for solid-color dyeing, because they, too, contain fiber reactive dyes, but they are less versatile for gradations and direct dye application. If you don't have a local source for purchasing Procion dyes, you can find several dye suppliers in the UK listed in the Europe section of my page of "Sources for Dyeing Supplies Around the World". You will also need soda ash or washing soda, to set the dye.
(Please help support this web site. Thank you.)
Monday, April 18, 2011
Looking for chemical structure of Remazol Ultra Yellow RGBN Name: Vijayalakshmi
Country or region: India/Chennai
Message: Hello! I am a research scholar and I am living in India, in the city of Chennai. I don't find the chemical structure of Remazol ultra yellow (RGBN). Would you help me finding the structure, please?
As far as I can tell, the identity of Remazol Ultra Yellow RGBN is still a trade secret of the Dystar company. I cannot find a Colour Index name for it, nor even a CAS number, which means I cannot find any other information about it.
Good luck. I hope you find this information somewhere. If you do, I would be interested in knowing more about it myself.
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(Please help support this web site. Thank you.)
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Questions about a bleach-damaged cotton/spandex suit
Name: Claude
—ADVERTISEMENTS—
Country or region: USA
Message: My white w/ little tan2% spandex/ 98% cotton suit was damaged by Clorox when attempting to take out an ink stain. The pants also have a small hole. I was planning to use Procion MX fiber reactive cold water dying. 1) Should I sew the hole closed before or after dying? I would like to dye it white if not the exact color but white is not available. The lightest shade on your website seems to be ECRU or yellow. 2) Is white available? Of course your website suggests using Soda Ash as presoak and synthapol post-dye washing. However, I don't understand the UREA part as it is also not for sale. Does it apply to me?
Message: My white w/ little tan2% spandex/ 98% cotton suit was damaged by Clorox when attempting to take out an ink stain. The pants also have a small hole. I was planning to use Procion MX fiber reactive cold water dying. 1) Should I sew the hole closed before or after dying? I would like to dye it white if not the exact color but white is not available. The lightest shade on your website seems to be ECRU or yellow. 2) Is white available? Of course your website suggests using Soda Ash as presoak and synthapol post-dye washing. However, I don't understand the UREA part as it is also not for sale. Does it apply to me?
There is probably additional damage that you can't see. Spandex should never be bleached, because it is highly sensitive to the hypochlorite that is the active ingredient in Clorox and other brands of household bleach. You can expect to see more holes developing every time you wash this suit. It is probably too late for neutralizing the hypochlorite to do much good, but, if you are going to keep the suit, it's worth a try. The simplest method is to buy a bottle of ordinary 3% hydrogen peroxide from the first aid section of your local pharmacy, use it to drench the bleached spots, and then wash the suit again with water. See "How can I neutralize the damaging effects of chlorine bleach?".
If the hole was caused by the bleach, I'd give up and throw the suit away now, but if the hole is unrelated, it would probably be best to sew it up, using mercerized cotton thread, before you wash or do anything else with it again. Every bit of wear will increase the size of the hole. Depending on the size and shape of the hole, you might do better to patch over it instead of stitching it closed, perhaps with some sort of appliqué. To hide the hole as much as possible, apply the patch on the reverse side of the fabric.
There is no such thing as a white dye. You cannot use dye to lighten a color from tan to white. Since dye is transparent, dyeing can only darken a color, never lighten it. For lightening the color of a garment, use a color remover, not dye: see "What chemicals can be used to remove dye?".
Dyeing bleach-spotted garments is a problem, because the white spots remain lighter than the rest of the garment even after you dye the garment. The best solution is often to fill in the lightened spots with a permanent fabric marker before dyeing the entire garment a darker color. If you can find a fabric marker of the exact right color to fill in the spots, dyeing the entire garment may not even be necessary. See "How can I fix the bleach spots on my favorite clothing?".
The recipe you saw which advocates pre-soaking in soda ash before apply Procion MX dye is an excellent choice when you want to dye one piece in multiple colors. (The urea is used as a humectant in direct dye application; see "What is urea for? Is it necessary?".) Procion MX is an ideal dye for dyeing cotton/spandex blends. However, this method of dye application is not the best choice for dyeing a garment a single solid color. Instead, I recommend that you dye your suit in the washing machine: see "How can I dye clothing or fabric in the washing machine?". You will need Procion MX dye, soda ash, and several pounds of ordinary non-iodized table salt. Urea is not needed for high water ratio immersion dyeing. You can use ordinary laundry detergent instead of Synthrapol, if you prefer.
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Saturday, April 16, 2011
How can I get a royal blue color with a mix of naphthol bases? Name: Swapnil
—ADVERTISEMENTS—
Asim Kumar Roy Choudhury's
Message: How to get royal blue color (as of Chelpark royal blue ink) in batik, am asking for a mix of naphthol base or any other manner?
I need to make a batik with peacock blue, cobalt blue and scarlet. Waxing is no problem but it's the color, all need to go on white base and availability of colors in New Delhi is also in question. pls help
Because we do not use naphthol dyes for hand dyeing in my country, due to the dangers of using some of the dye components, I'm afraid that I have no personal experience to offer.
Blue is supposed to be obtainable by mixing Naphthol Base AS-LB (Colour Index Azoic Coupling Compound 15) with Fast Blue B diazonium salt; see the chart on the page "About Naphthol Dyes". Note that Fast Blue B diazonium salt is significantly hazardous to work with, because not only is it very toxic and suspected of causing cancer, unlike most dyes it can be absorbed directly through unbroken skin. Never use naphthol dye components without a very high degree of protective materials. You must not get even a drop of any of these chemicals on your skin. Other classes of dyes are much safer for the user.
A good source for detailed information on the use of naphthol dyes is the book Textile Preparation and Dyeing, by Asim Kumar Roy Choudhury.
For other classes of dye, it is typical to use a cyan-colored dye as a mixing primary, combining it with no more than a tiny amount of magenta to make a peacock blue, and using a larger proportion of the magenta, though still much less than of the cyan, to make a royal blue. Since the color scarlet contains some yellow, it cannot be used in batik with royal blue unless direct dye application is used, allowing colors to be placed on different parts of the design, instead of immersing the entire piece in both scarlet and royal blue at different times (which would result in a brownish purple where they overlap). Direct dye application works very well in combination with batik if you use a cool-water fiber reactive dye, such as Procion MX dye or Drimarene K dye. See "About Fiber Reactive Dyes"
(Please help support this web site. Thank you.) .
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Can I use fabric paint on a 100% polypropylene hat?
Name: Pam
—ADVERTISEMENT—
Country or region: USA
Message: I have searched your site, and can not find info. on using fabric paint on a 100% polypropylene hat. The hat is a Sunday hat type that women wear to church. Kind of a bowl shape with a wide brim. It has a woven, straw look to it. Can you use fabric paint to change the color?
No, I don't expect fabric paint to adhere well to polypropylene. Polypropylene is a remarkably hydrophobic material, which means that it repels water extremely well. It will not absorb fabric paint like other fibers do, so the paint will tend to flake off rather quickly. The best way to color polypropylene is to add insoluble pigments to it while it is still in liquid form, before it is extruded into a fiber.
If a short-lived paint job will be good enough for you, I recommend that you experiment with Krylon Fusion for Plastic, which is a spray paint intended for use on difficult-to-paint plastics, specifically including polypropylene. The effect is certainly thicker than a good thin fabric paint, but still manages to show the original texture surprisingly well. It does eventually flake off, however, though not nearly as quickly as less suitable paint formulations. Buying multiple colors could quickly get expensive, at $6 per can. You can buy Krylon Fusion for Plastics in hardware or paint stores, or mail-order it from suppliers such as Mister Art.
(Please help support this web site. Thank you.)
(Please help support this web site. Thank you.)
Sunday, April 10, 2011
I need to know the correct mixture for the Dupont French Silk Dye Thinner
Name: Jill
—ADVERTISEMENTS—
Learn silkpaintingfrom a master
DVD: Silk Painting
With Jill Kennedy
Silk Painting: The Artist's Guide to Gutta and Wax Resist Techniques
by Susan Moyer
Country or region: United States
Message: Hi Paula,
I'm wondering if you can help with my silk painting...I have been using Jacquard dyes for years but now transitioning to Dupont French Silk Dye. I need to know the correct mixture for the Dupont French Silk Dye Thinner. I've followed Dharma instructions on their site but the dye seems to separate on the silk. Can you help?
No, I'm sorry, I can't really help much. I don't know of any better source than Dharma's instructions. H. Dupont does not supply additional information elsewhere, as far as I know. You can read their original printed instructions in one of the images on Dharma's Dupont Silk Dyes page. The regular-strength H. Dupont Thinner is supposed to be added at between 10% and 50%, though it is unclear whether they mean 50% of the volume of the dye to which you are adding it, or 50% of the final volume; probably the former. The H. Dupont Concentrated Thinner, which is what Dharma carries, should be mixed with water, 20 to 40 ml of thinner to make up a full liter of diluted diluant.
Any dye that is a mixture of two or more different dye colors can separate on the fabric, because, in many cases, one of the dyes in the mixture has a greater tendency to spread than another one does. If you try a different color from the same line of dyes, you might not see this color separation. There are so many colors in the H. Dupont line of silk dyes that you might find that a different color mixture is close enough to meet your needs.
I like the Remazol dyes for silk painting, such as Jacquard's Products' new Vinyl Sulphon dyes or PRO Chemical & Dyes' Liquid Fiber Reactive Dyes, because I like knowing what dyes are in the stuff I'm using. I don't like H. Dupont's secrecy, and I don't like working with toxic solvents. I also prefer the option of using the few available single-hue unmixed dyes for times when I really do not want any color separation. A thickener such as sodium alginate can be added to reduce spreading.
Related discussions:
Tinfix dyes are similar to the H. Dupont dyes, so the following are also relevant:
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Saturday, April 09, 2011
Where in Saudi Arabia can I learn how to dye? Name: Elsa
—ADVERTISEMENTS—
Tom Rolofson and Martine Purdy's DVD
Advanced Tie Dye Techniques: Making Shapes and Mandalas
Ann Johnston's book
How to do low water immersion dyeing and parfait dyeing
Country or region: Saudi Arabia
Message: Dear Paula, I'm a South African school teacher, working in Saudi Arabia at the moment. Is there any place somewhere where I can do dyeing courses? Please, please!
I don't know about any classes available in Saudi Arabia, but don't let that stop you from learning to dye. There are excellent books and videos available, in addition to the instructions available on my web site. What kind of dyeing are you interested in? Solid color dyeing, using dye to paint designs on fabric, yarn dyeing, tie-dyeing, batik, subtle mottled multi-colored dyeing?
Your first decision should be which general type of fiber you'd like to start with. I'd recommend that you choose either cotton or wool. What you learn about dyeing cotton can also be used on silk, as well as on rayon, linen, and other plant fibers. What you learn about dyeing wool can also be used on silk, nylon, and any other sort of animal hair, such as angora. Pick one of these two categories to specialize in first. Later, you can learn to dye fibers in the other category.
I recommend against choosing synthetic fibers as your first choice (other than rayon which can be dyed like cotton, or nylon which can be dyed like wool), because natural fibers are easier to dye.
Once you've chosen your fiber, find a source for your dye. I do not know of any sources for dye in Saudi Arabia; of course, industrial concerns there must use any sort of dye, but finding a supplier who will sell you small enough quantities for an individual to use, instead of great huge barrels of dye, is important. Try going to crafts stores or art supply stores. You should be able to mail-order dyes from other countries, though there might be some sort of import duty to be paid; this is often preferable to local sources. Look at my page, "Sources for Dyeing Supplies Around the World", for mail-order sources in other countries.
Tell me about your interests, and which fiber you'd like to start with, and I may be able to give you more specific recommendations.
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I don't know about any classes available in Saudi Arabia, but don't let that stop you from learning to dye. There are excellent books and videos available, in addition to the instructions available on my web site. What kind of dyeing are you interested in? Solid color dyeing, using dye to paint designs on fabric, yarn dyeing, tie-dyeing, batik, subtle mottled multi-colored dyeing?
Your first decision should be which general type of fiber you'd like to start with. I'd recommend that you choose either cotton or wool. What you learn about dyeing cotton can also be used on silk, as well as on rayon, linen, and other plant fibers. What you learn about dyeing wool can also be used on silk, nylon, and any other sort of animal hair, such as angora. Pick one of these two categories to specialize in first. Later, you can learn to dye fibers in the other category.
I recommend against choosing synthetic fibers as your first choice (other than rayon which can be dyed like cotton, or nylon which can be dyed like wool), because natural fibers are easier to dye.
Once you've chosen your fiber, find a source for your dye. I do not know of any sources for dye in Saudi Arabia; of course, industrial concerns there must use any sort of dye, but finding a supplier who will sell you small enough quantities for an individual to use, instead of great huge barrels of dye, is important. Try going to crafts stores or art supply stores. You should be able to mail-order dyes from other countries, though there might be some sort of import duty to be paid; this is often preferable to local sources. Look at my page, "Sources for Dyeing Supplies Around the World", for mail-order sources in other countries.
Tell me about your interests, and which fiber you'd like to start with, and I may be able to give you more specific recommendations.
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Friday, April 08, 2011
Can I use Procion dyes with vinegar to dye play silks?
Name: Pam
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Country or region: USA, Virginia
Message: Can I use Procion dyes on silk if I use the same method that I would with acid dye, i.e., use vinegar in the solution? I have been dyeing play silks with food coloring and they tend to fade and to wash out when washed. Is my best bet acid dye only? Many thanks, your site is really good!!!
My choice for play silks is Procion MX dye, or any other fiber reactive dye, used with the exact same soda ash recipe that you use for cotton. Silk, unlike wool, deals quite well with the high pH of soda ash. It may become slightly softer and less shiny, but it does not lose all of its shine.
You can't beat the permanence and safety of the bond between the fiber (silk or cotton) and the fiber reactive dye. It's the best choice, in my opinion, for fabric that might get chewed on by children, once you've thoroughly washed out any unattached excess dye, using hot water.
Procion MX dyes do work as acid dyes, when you substitute an acid such as vinegar for the soda ash, but they are not as wash-resistant as the same dyes that have been fixed with soda ash. The chemical bonds are different because of the different dyeing conditions. (See "Fiber reactive dyes on protein fibers".) I recommend this method for silk scarves only if they're going to be worn by adults or older children, since high washfastness is not as critical then.
There are other acid dyes that are more wash-proof than acid-fixed Procion MX dyes, but there's no need for you to invest in them for children's playsilks, when the Procion MX/soda ash method works so very well for them. It's worth noting that even the most washfast of acid dyes, the Lanaset dyes, are less washfast than soda-ash-fixed Procion MX dyes.
I had the same experience as you with play silks that we dyed with Kool-Aid. The washfastness of food dyes is rather poor, requiring gentle hand-washing in cool water. Food coloring can never compare to Procion MX dyes for excellent washfastness.
Note that if you ever find that you've dyed more silk scarves than you need, they make excellent reusable gift wrapping, especially if your scarves are 35" inches square or larger. You can tie the silk around a box, without any need for tape. My children loved it when I dyed them each their own silk satin pillowcases.
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Wednesday, April 06, 2011
Where can I find someone to redye my discoloured modacrylic coat?
Name: Sandi
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Country or region: England
Message: I have a white long modacrylic coat. I have worn it only when I was in Austria one Christmas. I cannot wear the coat as it has discoloured although I have had it in the correct cover. I would like to know please if and where I could have it dyed. I dare not risk dyeing the coat myself. I will look forward to your response. I love the coat but it is so discloured I cannot wear it.
No. I'm sorry, but it's extremely unlikely that anyone anywhere will be willing to dye your modacrylic coat for you. There are several reasons why:
1. I've never heard of any commercial dyeing service anywhere that redyes acrylic or modacrylic garments. The few dyeing services that exist prefer to dye only natural-fiber garments.
2. If your coat is not washable, it's not dyeable, because dyeing invariably involves a great deal of washing, both before and after the dye is applied.
3. Since dye is transparent, any discoloration will tend to show through a second application of dye.
4. The fact that your coat discolored indicates that there may be something wrong with it that would prevent dye from taking evenly.
5. Modacrylic cannot be dyed with any ordinary dye. No dye intended for natural fibers will work well on modacrylic. The only dyes suitable for modacrylic are modified basic (or cationic) dye, disperse dye, or possibly some sort of acetone-soluble dye.
6. Modacrylic cannot be dyed in room-temperature or merely hot water, but instead must be heated to high temperatures, with the correct type of dye, in order to dye it. It is extremely unlikely that you would be able to find a cooking pot large enough (the garment must be able to move about freely in the dyebath), without paying more than a new coat would cost. (Note that dyeing pots should not be re-used for food preparation.)
Disperse dye, such as iDye Poly, can be used on modacrylic for pale to medium shades, but I can't recommend that you try it on this coat, particularly given the problem of acquiring a suitable dyeing pot.
Sorry to give you such bad news. I think your best bet would be to look in resale shops for another coat similar in style to the old one.
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Monday, April 04, 2011
Where can I find liquid sodium silicate in Australia?
Name: David
used for sealing concrete floors, water proofing, carton sealing, and gasket cement
Ceramix sells sodium silicate
via Amazon
Sodium Silicate
Sold by Ceramix
"We carry everything for the ceramic crafter"
Country or region: Australia
Message: Hi...gr8 website...I am in Australia and am trying to source some liquid sodium silicate...would you have any ideas..a lot of the dye places sell dyes and colours etc, but I struggle to find sodium silicate.
Sodium silicate, or water glass, is a high-pH chemical, often sold dissolved in water, that can be used as an after-fix for fabric paintings made with fiber reactive dyes such as Procion MX dyes. See my page, "Sodium silicate as a fixative for dyeing".
In Australia, the dye supplier Batik Oetoro sells sodium silicate solution under the name Drimafix. Batik Oetoro is now located two hours to the north of Sydney, but they also sell their products by mail-order. Certain portions of their website are impossible to navigate in many web browsers (silly popups prevent the links from being clickable), so go directly to their page of chemicals, where you can find Drimafix listed.
Other places to look for sodium silicate are small farm suppliers, suppliers for cement floor adhesive, pottery craft suppliers, and sometimes even auto suppliers which may sell sodium silicate as 'Engine Stop'.
Please be sure to observe the cautions listed on my "Sodium silicate as a fixative for dyeing" page.
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