Fabric Dyeing Questions

printer friendly version

December Questions

Hi There
I think I may have ruined a beautiful silk dress I have only worn once by hand washing it. It is cream with oriental style multi coloured fans all over it. The pink in some areas seems to have run on to some of the cream areas although not like the fans have 'bled'.
Any chances of rescue :o)?
Hi Mary,
I don't know any way to fix your dress, sorry. I also generally hand wash everything, but sometimes this kind of thing can happen with a silk print.
Best,
Jennifer

Hi Again!
I have another simple question ( I think!) I dyed stretch nylon leotards using jacquard acid dye and they came out lighter than I wanted them. I put the though the whole cycle and then washed them after with detergent. Can I dye them again to make them darker? If I use the same amount of dye will this happen??
Thanks! Kristina
Kristina,
the key to acid dyes is to use HOT water. For darker results, simmer on top of the stove. You can rinse in the washer. If you don't get the color you want, you can add more dye in the middle of the simmering process.
best,
Jennifer

Hi Jennifer, My friend Tess at work has inherited a hand crocheted table cover from her mother. Tess said that she remembers the tablecloth at one time being an ecru color. Her mother borrowed the table cover at one time and brought it back...bleached white. She is wondering about the best way to re-dye the table cover (soaking it in coffee or tea perhaps???). Please let me know any advice that you may have so that I may pass it along to Tess. Thanks so much!
Karma
Hi Karma,
If she really wants it to be permanently ecru, then I would dye it ecru using the reactive dyes. Please read my article on Fabric Dyeing 101 before you begin. (http://www.fabrics.net/DizzyLettuceArticle.asp) I really don't have much experience with tea dyeing, but you could also try that. Keep in mind that tea is brown, with no yellow or any other color at all. Search at ask.com on tea dyeing for some interesting information.
best,
Jennifer

I just happened upon your site looking into tea-dyeing. I read the advice given re: wedding dresses, I too have a wedding dress (informal) that is blinding white, I feel off-white or ivory is best for me and I really prefer it. What is your take on tea-dyeing a dress that is primarily a polyester blend, I believe nylon? I'm not trying to drastically change the color, just tone it down a bit? Thanks alot. Dolly
Dolly,
I am sorry, I can't recommend any method to change the color of your dress.
best,
Jennifer

Hi there, Hopefully you will be able to help me. I bought some heavyweight denim fabric to make couch covers with however my problem is that the denim gives off so much colour that everything it touches turns blue. Can you maybe give me some tips on how to get the colour washed out sufficiently so as to be able to use it. (Even if you just rub your finger over the material it comes out blue) I have tried adding salt to the water and I have tried using hot water as well - but to no avail. Thank you in advance for any hints you might have. Daleen
Hi Daleen,
Dharma Trading sells a product that may assist. You can try it - go to www.dharmatrading.com & search for color fixatives. I really don't know if it will work, since the crocking is so extreme in this case. If it were mine, i would return it with very loud complaints.
best,
Jennifer

Jennifer, I have an old Christening gown, but no hat & shoes - so I purchased a white hat & Material shoes. I need to color the new hat & shoes to match or blend with the 30 year old christening gown which is now an ivory or beige color. What would be the best method for this. Thanks, Mary in New Orleans
Dear Mary,
Without seeing the whole set I can't tell you exactly what to do. The first thing is to determine if your fabric is all cotton. The shoes, you may have to have professionally dyed, as they are probably polyester & won't take any kind of dye. Please start by reading my article on Fabric Dyeing 101 (http://www.fabrics.net/DizzyLettuceArticle.asp). You are going to have to experiment to get what you want.
Write back if you have more questions!
Jennifer

Jennifer, My father has a truck he is restoring and the black crushed velvet, diamond tufted seats are in perfect condition other than the sun has dyed the color out. Is there any way for me to dye these seats back and get it to retain the black color? I have done upholstery for many years, but I do not know how to do diamond tuft and if I can't get these seats dyed, I will have to find out how so I can recover them for him. Do you have any advise for me? Thank you very much.
Carolyn
Hi Carolyn,
Unfortunately there's no way to restore this fabric. Sorry. You get to learn diamond tufting.
best,
Jennifer

dear jennifer
i bought this lovely black and white skirt (black rim and flowers and white everywhere else) and when i hand washed it the black dye from the skirt ran on to the white and has wrecked it is there anything i can use to fix it so i can get the black (looks browny) out of the white, would be great if u could help kind regards melanie
brisbane Australia
Hi Melanie,
I am sorry, I don't know anything that can fix this matter. If the care instructions directed you to wash the item, then return it to the place you got it. Retailers should know when things don't perform as specified.
Jennifer

Hi,
I have a corduroy Jacket which is brown in colour and i would like to dye in darker, maybe black.
I was therefore wondering whether it would be possible to dye sucha material? and whether shops may provide such a product?
The reason i ask is because i have previosuly dyed normal cotton shirts etc, but never a corduroy material and so am slightly confused.
Answers would be most appreciated.
Kind regards,
Samir
Hi Samir,
please read my article on Fabric Dyeing 101. This will answer many of your questions & give you a few caveats, as well!
Here is the link: http://www.fabrics.net./dizzylettuce.asp
best,
Jennifer

I am restoring a 1964 Corvette and wonder if I can dye the seat belts back to the original color. This might be outside your frame of reference but I though I would ask. I am trying to keep as much of the original equipment as possible as I am the original owner. I know they do sell "restored" seat belts. Thanks
Richard
Hi Richard,
Sorry, these can't be dyed.
best,
Jennifer

Hi Jennifer, I think your website already answers my question, but I just want to double-check. I'm trying to dye my wedding dress. It is cream at the moment and I'd like to dye it black. The material is 70% viscose, 30% acetate. I cannot find anyone who will professionally dye it (apparently professional dyeing in Ireland is a thing of the past!) so I would have to do it myself. I think your website pretty much advises against it, but I wanted to just check with you. Thanks!
Liz
Hi Liz,
I am sorry, this can't be dyed. At the very best result you'd come out with a charcoal color.
best,
Jennifer

Hi! My daughter's light blue, polyester dress is stained. I wanted to dye it in the washing machine a navy blue. 1) Can polyester be dyed? If so, how do I do it and with what? 2) There is a line of some nonremovable rhine stone trim on either side of the dress and plastic buttons with a rhine stone in the middle of each button. Do those get ruined if not removed? Thank you, Mimi
Dear Mimi,
I am sorry, this dress can't be dyed. Please read my article for more info! Here is the link:
http://www.fabrics.net./dizzylettuce.asp
happy holidays,
Jennifer

I am concerned about fading of the fabrics used for the cusions in my new outdooor couch and chair is there somethning I can spray on the cusions to prevent fading from the sunlight?
A quick search turned up a product for this purpose. Here's the link:
http://www.solarshieldprotection.com/
I haven't used it myself, so can't recommend it personally. Keep in mind, outdoor fabrics such as Sunbrella are designed to be fade-resistant.
best,
Jennifer

Hello, My problem is I have a sofa and love seat that I love. But, they are a light tan color and I want a blue. I have run a scenario through my mind that I may be able to dye these items, because of there size , with a spray apparatuse. Am I crazy? Thanks, Stuck
Dear Stuck,
In general, I don't recommend this kind of thing. It is a big experiment that could prove disastrous, However, you can check out the instructional video at www.simplyspray.com. Test, test, test before you undertake the real thing.
best,
Jennifer

Hi, I have a very old (pre-WW II) beige, intricately embroidered, 120 inch tablecloth that is badly stained with wine and food stains. It is unusable as it is, but I was wondering if I could have it successfully dyed by a cleaning outfit. I believe the material is cotton and embroidered with linen-type threads. Since the cloth is very old, I am not really sure what the material is. The following questions exist in my mind: 1. Would it come out splotchy? 2. Would the dye color rinse out over time? 3. How expensive would the dyeing process be? 4. Would it be worth it? Any information you can give me would help.
Hi Miki,
well, I don't know the answers to any of your questions for sure.
1. yes, you're right, splotchy is possible.
2. If you use the reactive dyes, the new color will be colorfast.
3. For professional dye houses that will do one piece, you can consult with www.fabricdyeing.com or www.knitweardoctor.com. They charge based on the weight of the piece.
4. I can't answer the "would it be worth it" question, because it depends on what makes it worth it to you. All dyeing is an experiment. However, cotton & linen dye beautifully & might be quite interesting in a new color.

The first step I would take is to soak the cloth in a bucket with HOT water & a lot of detergent & oxyclean. This will take out any wine stains or food stains that have a possibility of budging. You are correct, I think, however, that any wine stains that remain will take the dye darker & therefore still be visible.

read my article on Fabric Dyeing 101 before you do anything!! http://www.fabrics.net./dizzylettuce.asp

Have fun & happy holidays,
Jennifer

My mother bought a beautiful Christening gown with cap & matching pillow cover from Germany over 30 years ago. My sister's 2 kids & my 2 kids were Christened in it. My sister had it preserved. Recently, my daughter-in-law used it for our first grandchild. It is made of cotton with beautiful embroidery. I washed it first & it came out beautifully (I did not wash the pillow case at this time). However, after the Christening, I went to wash it again before I put it away. This time I washed it with the pillow case. My sister had put the pillow & cover in a yellow pillow case all these years. I was horrified when I washed the gown & pillow case together & the yellow transferred onto the gown & pillow case. I tried soaking it in leach (since it was cotton). Still, it did not come out. I took it to the cleaners, & they just did the same thing, & the ting of yellow is still in the gown & pillow case. I was thinking of buying white Ritz dye. What do you think or suggest? I can't believe that I might have ruined our family tradition! The gown is usable, but it should be pure white. I am just so sick over this. Paula
Hi Paula,
I have had good luck with this sort of thing using oxyclean. Soak in HOT water & a good amount of oyxclean & mild detergent. However, I can't guarantee any results, there are just too many factors involved. Unfortunately, there is no Rit dye in white. But Rit does make some products that remove color mistakes. Check out their site at www.ritdye.com.
good luck & happy holidays,
Jennifer

Is there a product for touching up small bleach spots on a pair of navy twill pants? Thanks. Nancy
Sorry, this kind of thing can't be fixed.
Jennifer
Dear Jennifer,
I have t-shirts which are khakhi in color and discharge pigment printed in beige color. I need to change the beige color which is discharge pigment printed to light khakhi. Can you suggest a method whereby this can be achieved without ruining the base khakhi color? Will appreciate your response soonest .
Dear Prakesh,
I am sorry, I don't think I can help you. Partial color, such as one specific color in a print, can't be removed from fabric.
good luck,
Jennifer

Hi there, just wondering if you could help me a little. I am having a dress made in which I have enclosed a piture, the underdress is made of Sandwashed Silk Satin & the Wings on top are made of Silk Chiffon. I don't know anything about dyeing material & I am having trouble trying to find someone local in England where I live to dye it for me. Aparantley the process is called Ombre dyeing, though I don't know what this term means. I was wondering if you know any websites that give instructions on how to do this as I have sample pieces to practice with, As you can see from the photo the Colours are very light & start from Yellow through Oranges to Pink & then Lilac at the bottom. Can you help me? Regards Tracy
Hi Tracy,
you have chosen a beautiful fabric & design!
Ombre dyeing, which means a gradation of color or colors (ombre means "shadow" in French), is not for beginners. I haven't tried it myself, but I have looked at several instructional sites & talked to experienced dyers who are trying it. A couple of dye houses, located in the U.S. & Canada, will custom dye fabrics as you specify. Check out www.dyeproservices.com in Canada. You can also do a search on Google or Ask.com for ombre fabric dyeing & see what you come up with. Some of the textile crafter sites will entertain questions or may have more detailed instructions if you want to pursue learning the art & science of silk fabric dyeing.
good luck!
Jennifer

Hello I found your site on a google search hoping you may be able to answer my question. I was given 3 beautiful carpets from Morocco made from vegetal silk (I think the aloe plant or similar). They are really lovely but they have a problem which is the dyes do not appear fixed. A glass of water was spilt (luckily on the edge) and I noticed the dyes began to run. Is there any method I can use to fix the dyes and at the same time avoid running the colors? One person told me these rugs, while traditional gifts for weddings, etc. were primarily meant to go up on walls and therefore the dyes were not fixed. This is particularly the case as many of these are sold to tourists as silk! In any case, the person who bought them knew they were not silk but were sold as 'soie vegetal' (vegetal silk) but was not warned about the color issue. The material otherwise appears very resistant. Could you advise? Thanks in advance David
Bonjour David,
I really don't know what dyes or fibers you have here. Dharma Trading Company (www.dharmatrading.com) sells a dye fixative for commercially dyed garments, called Retayne. This requires treatment with HOT water. I have used it in the washing machine.
You could investigate this product.
If it were mine, I would call Dharma directly & see if you can talk to someone who might know. Also, call Sherry at www.fabricdyeing.com & see what she says. Felicitations du Texas! J'aime bien discuter des tissus et tout ca en francais, mais mon francais ecrit est faible!
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.

About Dizzylettuce

Dizzylettuce is a line of unique, creative, beautiful, and luxurious silk accessories - triangles, rectangles, and circles - that can be worn as shawl, wrap, waist and hip wrap, sash, exciting ensemble layer, and suit or coat accessory.

Take a look at the latest Dizzylettuce styles & colors at www.dizzylettuce.com.

You can contact me at 512 837 4063 or here at dizzylettuce@fabrics.net.

If you love beautiful colors, luxurious textures, rich and interesting trim accents, the creation of a unique fashion look, and beautiful clothes - you will love Dizzylettuce!

If you are looking for fabrics, the fastest route is to fill out a request form at http://www.fabrics.net/swatch/

The "dizzylettuce" Column is an opinion Column and may or may not reflect the views of Fabrics.net.