Fabric Dyeing Questions

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November Questions

I have a sectional sofa that is made of regular fabic, not heavy duty couch fabric. I would like to dye it using a fruit tree sprayer. What type of dye do you recommend. My sister tried this with a rug she had and it worked beautifully.
If I can't dye it, is that anything that can clean it?
Dear Rita,
I do not recommend dyeing upholstered furniture. Please look at my column of July 2003 for my comments in this area. I don't know what system your friend used, but a lot depends on the fiber content of the thing being dyed. You can investigate having the sofa professionally cleaned, or try a rent-it-yourself carpet cleaning type system. Probably time for reupholstery.
Jennifer

Jennifer~
I am wanting to dye my "over stuffed" sofa's slip covers. They are a what has become faded denim and we want to re-dye them a dark blue denim color. Do you know of a vendor that provides this service or any other tips?? We are in Tyler, TX so if you know someone semi local we could probably contact them.
Many thanks, Daniel Sorrels
Hi Daniel,
For this I suggest that you contact Sherry at www.fabricdyeing.com. She is in northern CA & has clients all over the world. Not that many facilities dye smaller pieces of fabric - like less than 5,000 yards. If your slipcovers are all cotton, you have a good candidate for redyeing there.
Jennifer

Dear Jennifer,
I have a question about trying to dye a backpack. I bought this North Face backpack on ebay for a good deal, now I know why. The backpack was faded. It was supposed to be a dark blue purple and now it is just purple. I am a man who has never dyed anything before, but I thought it would be worth it to buy some dye and give it a shot. How do I dye it so that the label (which is in white) will not be blue dyed as well? And, do I just follow any directions on the package, put everything into a large pot to dye, try the washing machine (but will that wreak the washing machine)...Any information would be great..
Thanks
cfunkhouser
Dear Clifton,
Sorry, you can't dye the backpack. Nylon cordura is dyed & sealed at the factory. Either carry it like it is, decorate it with patches, or start over.
Jennifer

I have a lovely rayon dress that I spilled bleach on. The area is about the size of two half dollars but is right in the front. Do I have to bleach out the entire dress before I dye it a different color? Presently it is a light grey, so I know I can go darker. What is the best way to discharge? Can I put it in the washing machine with a weak bleach and try bleaching out the entire dress or will that significantly weaken the fiber?? Is there a better way?
Thanks,
I love your web site.
AB
Dear AB,
I suggest that you consult with Sherry Smilo at www.fabricdyeing.com. If anyone can fix your dress, it is her. In general, I don't think you can restore the dress yourself. Bleach changes the fiber so that it won't take any kind of dye that you can use at home. Discharging the current color is possible, but it's very hard to get even.
Jennifer

I want to dye my white polyester sheers an off-white. Is this possible?
Candess
Candess,
Sorry, no. Polyester can't be dyed. It's like trying to dye a plastic bag.
Jennifer

Hi
I am anxious to try Ombre Dyeing but I'm not sure how it's done - Can you help me??
Leona
Dear Leona,
A quick search of Ask Jeeves for ombre dyeing turned up this interesting link: http://www.padawansguide.com/pastel_makingof.shtml You are going to have an experiment, so get some silk chiffon & get going! Have fun!
Jennifer

Hi, I was wondering if you could help me get some very slight dirt or whatever off of my peau de soie shoes? They match a dress perfectly and have the slightest bit of a mark or two on one toe.
Thanks, Susan
Hi Susan,
Start with an artgum eraser. This is a safe & often effective method. If they are white or ivory, your next thing to try would be a bit of diluted oxyclean on a cotton swab. Start with a little bit. Don't try this if they are dyed, it may bleach out the color. Take your shoes in a bag to every event & put them on after you get there.
good luck
Jennifer

Since the plum color slipcover I ordered is on backorder for over a month and I'm entertaining on Thanksgiving... can I just RIT color dye a White chenille slipcover instead? I have purchased aubergine RIT fabric dye and I need a plum/purple colored slipcover for my chair. The chenille is 60% olefin/40% polyester. What will happen if I try to dye this fabric blend?? I can also buy a taupe colored cashmere chair slipcover... if I use aubergine to dye that, will the color come out as dark purple, plum, or eggplant??
Thanks,
-K.
Kristina,
Rit dye will not take on the chenille. It has to be a natural fiber for Rit to work. Look on their website for more info. As for the cashmere, do you mean real 100% cashmere? Check with Rit to see what they say about dyeing wool for a reference point. If it works, you will be mixing colors. Sort of like painting with watercolors. I like overdyeing natural, taupe, & ecru. The colors come out darker & saturated.
Send more info & I will do my best,
Jennifer

Hello,
I have recently moved into a house with silhouette blinds that are a metallic blue. I would like them white. Can they be dyed easily. How do I go about this?
Thank you.
Sylvie,
Sorry, it's not possible. This would require subtracting color which is iffy in the best of textile situations.
Jennifer

Can you dye leather and it come out looking great?
I have a couch I am interested in recoloring from cream to a darker tan/brown color? Thanks Kerry
Dear Kerry,
This is possible but I really don't have any experience so I cannot give instructions or endorse any products. Take a look at www.leathermagic.com, they have a kit they sell for dyeing a big thing like a sofa. You will have a big project there!
have fun,
Jennifer

Hello Jennifer,
I have scoured the net for anything pertaining to my question and I believe you are my last hope. A few years back, I bought a 100% Cotton Jacket that has a 100% Polyurethane coating that is gray in color. Now, mind you, this is a coating of Polyurethane and not actually mixed into the cotton fabric underneath. I wish to dye the Polyurethane layer Black instead of its gray color now. Please give me good news and tell me this is possible. Even if it means using spray paint or leather dye or something. If I had the determination, I [would] color it black with a permanent marker but I think it would look terrible if I did. Anything? Even if it technically isn’t a “dye” Thanks for your time!
-Rob
Rob,
This is a big project & will be an experiment but since you appear to be desperate you can try this. Someone wrote to me about using airbrush ink to dye synthetics. You can get the ink from www.dharmatrading.com - they have several varieties. It has to be heat-set either in the dryer or with an iron. Get one of the water-based inks & dilute it. Dip a part of your jacket & see if the ink will stick to the polyurethane. Since the purpose of polyurethane is to repel water, I don't know if anything will stick to it. I haven't tried the airbrush ink for synthetics yet myself, so I can't directly vouch for it.

Since you mention spray paint, you could try the fabric spray dyes at www.simplyspray.com. Check it out & see if what they offer will stick.

In general I do not advise people to try to change the color of anything like what you have. It's far better to go shopping & buy a new jacket that is the color that you want. What is the outcome that you want? The exact same jacket, just in another color? Do you want it to look professionally finished? Just keep in mind that you will be undertaking a science experiment with no guarantee of the outcome!
good luck,
Jennifer

 

You can ask Jennifer questions at dizzylettuce@Fabrics.net.

Jennifer Thompson Miller: I love my work in beautiful textiles, color, trim, and design! I am a devoted student of fashion history and love vintage and vintage-inspired looks. For many years, my main focus was fashion sewing, using natural fibers in beautiful colors. In recent years, much to my delight, I have learned color mixing and silk dyeing. This has added a vibrant, versatile dimension to my fashion design.

I learned design and needlework from my mother and grandmother, and I am very grateful for their inspiration and instruction. Some of my earliest memories are spending time in the fabric store, while my mother designed and picked out fabrics for glamorous outfits. From the age of ten, my mother and other fashion-conscious ladies would ask my opinions on fabrics that they were combining.

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