Fabric Dyeing Questions

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June Questions

hi,
love to read ur coloumn about dying fabric its realy higly infomative.
I have bigner level question is that I bought 3suit peices but unfortunatly colors r not fast cthey are coton polyester mixed (here in our area its called raw coton/silk) I spent much to buy them so pl help me to fast their colors
thanx
Huma,
Without seeing the pieces or knowing about fabrics in your region, I am not sure what will happen. The best I can suggest is to obtain some dye fixative from www.dharmatrading.com. Follow the directions carefully. This is a hot water based process, so your suit pieces must be able to withstand hot water & agitation in order to fix the colors.
good luck!
Jennifer

I purchased some 100% polyester crocheted looking lace yardage that I want to make some snoods out of. Unfortunately it is white and I want some color. I tried Rit Dye and i can only get pale, faded color on the polyester. What can I do for some bolder shades in dye? Thank you for the help!
Deni
Dear Deni,
I have been working in lace dyeing myself recently. Unfortunately polyester lace won't take any sort of dye. Look for lace that is part rayon or all nylon. Get a copy of the catalog from www.dharmatrading.com & read about nylon dyeing. Rayon can be dyed with the reactive dyes, also available from Dharma. If the lace is part rayon, you will get an interesting two-color effect.
You will have to experiment here to get the effect that you want.
Have fun,
Jennifer

I bought some ecru lace curtains in France. My cousin sent me an extra piece (since I didn't buy enough), but she sent me white lace. What's the best way to dye the white to ecru? I heard that I could possibly use tea? Thanks.
Dear Danielle,
Please look over my article on Dyeing 101 before you proceed. There is a bunch of info there that will assist you. The main factor is the fiber content of the lace. Also, it will be hard to get the exact ecru that you want, because matching is difficult. Keep in mind, too, that tea is basically brown. No cream or yellow at all.
You may have to start over & order some lace in the correct color, or else go to mix-&-match decor.
Jennifer

Dear Jennifer,
I visited your website for the first time today, and hope you can help. Back in the '70s I took a textiles course. One technique that I remember was called "bleach out". Very simple. I think we bound up the cotton fabric like for tye die and dipped it in a bleach solution. I now have a cotton tank top which is too dark for my taste, and since I do not wear it, am willing to try this bleach out technique just for fun. If you have heard of this, please tell me what strength I should make my bleach solution, plus any other tips I need to know.
Thanks,
Monisa
Dear Monisa,
I haven't tried this technique, so you can experiment. Another method is to get dye discharger from www.dharmatrading.com. Follow their instructions. Using this method you run less risk of damaging your fabric. This sounds like a fun project!
Jennifer

Hi Jennifer:
I would like to know if it is possible to repair by dye or any other process a bleached spot on a colored 100% cotton sweater. The bleached spot is in located at the front bottom centre, and the sweater is lilac in color and belongs to a two piece matching set.
Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Margaret
Dear Margaret,
This cannot be easily fixed, but if you really want to investigate you can try the following dye services:
www.fabricdyeing.com
www.dyeproservices.com.
good luck,
Jennifer

I have dyed before, but the color always seems to run even after multibe washing. Can you recomend a good brand or type of dye/ technique to prevent this from happening?
Thanks, Ryan
Dear Ryan,
Get a catalog from www.dharmatrading.com & study it carefully! Have fun!!
Jennifer

Hi, Jennifer, how are you? I read ur article, and i think maybe you can help me. Owing to my careless, i washed my white silk shirt with a dark skirt, you can tell what the color of the shirt would be. But this was not the worst. I used chlorine bleach on the shirt. now it doesnt look like blue but totally ocher!!! My lovely shirt...How can i do to change it back to white????
Please help me!!
Many thanks & best wishes
Lydia
Dear Lydia,
Your only hope is to consult with Sherry at www.fabricdyeing.com, or alternatively www.dyeproservices.com, in Edmonton, Canada. If they can't help you, it's time to go shopping.
Jennifer

In the heat of the day, I wet my bandana and wrapped it around my neck, never dreaming that the blue dye would cause a purple dye stain on the collor of my yellow knit golf shirt. Is there any way possible to remove this? Thanks!
Dear Cheryl,
I really don't know what will work but you could try Stainstick first. Put a liberal amount on the dye stain & wash. If this doesn't work & you still want to recover the shirt, you can consult with www.dyeproservices.com. They specialize in this kind of stain removal, involving removing all color & then putting back the desired one.
good luck!
Jennifer

HELP! I ordered 5 bridesmaid dresses in aubergine, and they look magenta. Is there anything I can do to dye them another color? I don't want black, what other color option is there? Navy? Olive Green? Darker aubergine? What is the best way to dye them? Will it ruin them? Thay look like a matte satin but the tag says 100% polyester. I am desperate because I absolutely hate the color they are now. If you could, please reply by email as I am not sure I will have access to your site again. If you can help I would truly appreciate it.
Thank you in advance,
Bethany
Dear Bethany,
I am sorry, there is nothing you can do with the extant dresses. You cannot dye polyester. If I were you, I would take them to a tailor or seamstress & find out if anything can be done to mofidy & mitigate the color - like an overskirt of a darker transparent color. If this is not possible, you must accept them as-is, or else start over.
Sorry & happy wedding nonetheless,
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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