Fabric Dyeing Questions

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August Questions

I am currenlty searching for the perfect wedding dress. I really would like a dress like Gwen Stefani but I needed to know if I could have someone dye a wedding dress for me. I want the bottom to be dark pink just like her dress. Please let me know if this is possible. Thanks,
Tifanie
Dear Tifanie,
Gwen's dress is beautiful, you are right. Here is the deal. You cannot dye a synthetic wedding dress at all, one made of acetate or polyester, which is what most are. The fabric would have to be silk for it to work. The best plan would be to take a photo of the dress to the most expert wedding dress seamstress in your town. See if she can replicate it for you. Make sure that you inquire about her dyeing experience before you start. Yes, it might cost a bunch, but hopefully it will be what you want. I hope you have a few months before the wedding because this is going to be a big project. If you are anywhere near me in central Texas, I would recommend Linda Carter at Carter Creations. She knows fabrics, design, & dyeing, & might be willing to take this on. Let me know if that could work & I will send you her contact info.
Happy Wedding,
Jennifer

Hello my name is Michelle and i had a white dress given to me and i decided to make it a little more stylish looking and so my mother and i got it altered and cut shorter.. is there any way we can have it dyed pink? if so.. where would we take it? THanks so much!
Dear Michelle,
It all depends on the fiber content of the dress. Silk, rayon, cotton, & linen can be dyed. Please read over my previous columns at fabrics.net for details. Two good resources are www.sampledyeing.org and www.fabricdyeing.com.
Jennifer

jennifer,
i have 2 pair of drapes, beige with brown specks, that i would like to dye black. they are a cotton material with foam backing. can this be done and if so which way would you do it, by washer or a large bucket. please help.....
thanks.
carol
Dear Carol,
I wouldn't try this. Black is a hard color to dye; I doubt if this fabric is 100% cotton; the foam backing is unpredictable at best. You are likely to make a big mess. It will be much more satisfactory to make new ones.
Jennifer

Dear Jennifer,
My daughter just purchased 2 flower girl dresses. They only came in white. Her colors are ivory. These dresses have some embroidery on them and some iridescence beading.They are made of 100% polyester. Please help me with the dyeing process.
I am sorry, the dresses cannot be dyed. Polyester is not dyeable by ordinary mortals. I suggest that you take them back.
Jennifer

Hi Jennifer, What is the best way of setting dye in material. I want to dye some material, but want to try to preserve that colour in future washings.
Thanks in advance for your help!
Joan
Dear Joan,
If you follow the instructions, you will have dyed fabric that is colorfast. I have loads of things that get washed every week which are as bright as ever. Get a copy of the catalog from www.dharmatrading.com & read the instructions on the reactive dyes. Remember, your fabric must be a natural fiber - cotton, linen, rayon, or silk. You will need dye, ordinary table salt, soda ash, & Synthropol. All is available from Dharma except the salt.
have fun,
Jennifer

Hi! I have a number of drapery pieces which I bought for an apartment. The pieces are swag, scalloped and gathered. They were expensive. The tag says fabric 100% cotton with lining a mix of 50/50 cotton/polyester.

The print is floral with shades of green, brown, and mauve on a cream background. I also have two pillows in this fabric. I refuse to imagine that I cannot do "something" with all this expensive fabric.

Can a professional cleaning establishment "bleach" to a neutral and/or can they be dyed?

Your help will be very much appreciated.
Vicki
Dear Vicki,
Well, I can imagine quite a few things that you could do with all the fabric , but dyeing or bleaching what you have there are not among them. Yes, cotton fabric can be dyed, but overdyeing a print is iffy. You will be combining colors & end up with a new sort of print-mix. Sometimes dye can be discharged, but again you will be discharging unevenly. If you can't use them in their current color scheme, try selling them on ebay & getting something new.

If you want to confer further with a professional, contact Sherry at www.fabricdyeing.com. She will have a good idea how they will come out with overdye.
good luck,
Jennifer

Hi, I have an off-white colored coat I would like to dye a very light pink or blue. The coat is a wool boucle fabric that’s 70% wool, 30% nylon and the lining is acetate. I don’t want the color to be too intense so it’s ok if the acetate takes little to no color. In the past my only dying was tie-dye tees so I have no idea how to achieve a soft all over color. Also what kind of dye and technique would be best? I’m thinking since it’s a wool coat, running it through the washer might not be the best idea. If doable, also what is the risk of the dye being transferable to clothes underneath, or purse, etc. Thanks!
Dear Roxx,
It is possible to dye a wool/nylon blend, but I wouldn't try it at home. The best dye for this is acid dye, which require very hot water in the washing machine or on top of the stove. As you can imagine, this is not ideal for an already-constructed garment, as it may shrink, felt, & twist. You could also consult with Sherry at www.fabricdyeing.com. It really may not be worth it, but if your heart is set on it, you can investigate the possibility.
good luck,
Jennifer

Have an off white sofa that does not fit my decor. Is there an easy way to "paint" the sofa, yet be able to sit on it? If so, do you know any sources to buy a paint that would work for this project?
Dear Vicky,
In general, I do not recommend dyeing or painting upholstered furniture. However, if you want to investigate further, you could check out www.simplyspray.com. They wrote to me saying their spray-on fabric paint products can be used for upholstery. Since your sofa is off-white, you could undertake a big experiment & see what you get. Remember, you can have no attachment to the outcome, because, while you may be able to sit on it afterward, you might not be able to tolerate looking at it.
good luck,
Jennifer

I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF IS POSSIBLE FOR ME TO DYE MY LIVING ROOM CARPET MYSELF. IF SO HOW WOULD I DO IT AND WHAT PRODUCTS WILL I NEED. THANK YOU.
Dear Adelight,
A quick search of google for "carpet dyeing" turned up a few interesting sites & resources. I have also met the folks at www.carpetdyeing.com. Check out their site.

I have no experience with this kind of fiber dyeing so I can't tell you much firsthand. Do a little research into the process & see if you think it will be worth it!
Jennifer

Hi,
I have just purchased some sheer cutains in white. I would like them to be just a shade off (ivory/cream). They are 100% polyester and machine washable. I am not seeking a huge colur change, just something to take the edge off the 'whiteness'. Any suggestions????
Thank you
Kerryn
Dear Kerryn,
Unfortunately, polyester cannot be dyed. Keep looking for the perfect sheers - or else get some cotton or silk lightweight fabric & try tea dyeing. The beleaguered Martha Stewart has an interesting piece on this subject at http://www.detnews.com/2001/decorating/0111/14/e08-340133.htm.
Sorry,
Jennifer

Hello Jennifer,
I came across you website this evening while conducting a search on shrinking rayon. I have a very fragile NATAYA dress that I adore and have to wear in a wedding next weekend. Over the three years I have owned it, it has streched out considerably and now just drips off me. I plan to take it in, but I really want to shrink it back to it's original size. People have recommended dry cleaning and of course the tag says to do only that, I have of course done that, at least twice, but nothing doing. It just needs a good tightening of the fabric, but I am scared to ruin it. Please help-- thank you kindly-- erin
Dear Erin,
I really don't know what happened with your rayon dress. I have never experienced rayon this unstable. Unfortunately, there is not a good prognosis. I really doubt if it would shrink uniformly, if at all. It's not worth paying someone to alter it. I know you love it, but clothing is finite. Go shopping & find something even more beautiful!!
Sorry,
Jennifer

Dear Jennifer,
I saw on Lois Ericksons website under designer gallery, her pattern over and under, in which she had used A distressed velvet. I e-mailed her to ask her how she did it. She said she had bought the fabric and did not know how they Had distressed it. Sometime ago I bought a magazine that featured Australian artists, one of them was into distressing fabric, She said she used sandpaper, I can’t remember what else she used. Anyway the effect of the distressed velvet is lovely, and it seems to be showing up a lot in designer jackets. I am wondering how to distress it, obviously, not just continued washing surely, I would be interested in Your answer to hear if you have come across this yourself.
Thanks
Fran
Dear Fran,
I really don't know what effect you are going for. Are you wanting partially or randomly crushed velvet? This is easy to achieve by washing your velvet in the machine & allowing it to air dry. (10 minutes in the dryer will restore the pile.) I recommend the silk/rayon velvet for this - allow about 2" shrinkage per yard of fabric for the washing process. If you want a pattern of crushed velvet, you can iron the velvet, pile down, over interesting textures, such as rubber stamps & other items. Give it a try. If you want a distressed color look, get a book on special effects dyeing. You may want to try the rock salt method that I mention in my column either this month or last.

Have fun & make some gorgeous stuff. In my opinion silk/rayon velvet is the empress of fabrics.
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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