Dying Help!

[fallenangel1241]

Hey all!

So I need some help. I have a very lovely 200 yard 3 tiered skirt trimmed in lace that unfortunately got sun bleached in spots! Right now it is a rich royal blue on a gauzy type fabric and I was thinking that dying it black might be an option that could save it. Any suggestions/advice to make this (or another option) work? Thanks so much!

[isabelladangelo]

I think you mean 20 yard.  200 yards and you wouldn't be able to stand, let alone walk! :-)

For sun spots, going darker should work.  If it's cotton, you might want to try a color remover (RIT has one) first to make sure the dye will be distributed evenly. 

[Adriana Rose]

Also make sure you have FREAKY HOT water and a REALLY big dye vat a larger tote would be fine.

You might get a mottled coloring in the final product due to the folds and pleats in the skirt.

The hotter the water the better the dye works for some reason I try to boil some and then use the hottest that my tap can go,

Also make sure that you have a towel or rags that you really dont care about in the area when you transfer the whole mess to the washer.. I spaced it once and I spent 4 months getting dye out of the lanolium lol


Since you are going black make sure that you get at least 6 boxes of dye if you want it black black.. I am in the get extra group, you want to make sure that you have enough

Good luck and please show us the results!

[isabelladangelo]

Adriana, have you tried the RIT dye via the washer method?  It's really, really simple and, once I figured out how to get the dye even, I loved it.  Wash the fabric first.  Take it out, start the washer back up again and add the dye plus 1 cup of salt.  Wait until the water is dark with the dye and then throw the wet fabric back in.   When the "wash" is over, the dye is set and you just throw the fabric in the dryer.   I've gotten some really neat colors before.  My cotton blend brocade (normally a light blue) turned a gorgeous shade of pink with just a couple boxes of Scarlet dye.   

[crashbot]

I get my dye here http://www.dharmatrading.com/topnav/dyes/

They have some good instructions for novices.

I dont suggest putting fabirc in boiling water though, just slightly below boiling, like 180-200 degrees.

[Pascal]

The dies from Dharma Trading Company are much better than RIT

[ArielCallista]

I used the rit dye washer method last year for halloween to turn a sweat suit bright orange...it turned out perfect...the color was accurate to the box, and it was very consistent and even (except for the thread, but never expect thread to dye as well as the fabric) We just followed the instructions on the box and it worked out great. It only took 1 box...but you'll prolly need 2 or 3

[Artemisia]

I've also used Dharma dyes. They are easy to use and will color almost anything but they need lots of additives and are messier than the RIT dyes. I've always gotten nice, even color out of the Dharma dyes but now I only use RIT because of their ease of use. The only big difference is that with Dharma dyes you can use room temperature water and with RIT you have to use hot water. Try the RIT and if that doesn't work you can always recolor with some Dharma.

[fallenangel1241]

Isabella-I absolutely meant 20 yards! I suppose an inability to edit what I type is what I get for a developed reliance to spell check!

Thank you all so much for your suggestions! I have dyed numerous things before and sometimes it kind-of works and other times, it flat-out fails. So, I wanted to make sure to get this one right considering the skirt in question was quite costly. I will take all your comments into account and hopefully *fingers crossed* something will work! I will try posting pictures if all turns out well! Thanks again!

Sarah

[Cilean]

I agree with the Dharma Chemical Dyes for black and I can say? It works but you need a huge vat for 20 yards!!!! I would suggest getting a plastic garbage can Like the huge one, and use that if it is hot in your neck of the woods? And You will need at least 2 times the required to get the deep black, you will need gloves and  I purchased a good sized stick so I could stir the fabric around.



This is medium green wool 9 yards with our first dye test, I did not leave it in long enough so I did a second dye and got the deep black I was going for.

(I really need to sew that up one day...but wool.....in California? I just don't know!)

Cilean