Questions about Dying

I don't use the washer I have 2 big metal tubs. I prefer to sew the garment first. I wash it so that it is wet. I mix liquid rit dye usually in a big tub with water, with rubber gloves I put the garment in the tub and swish it around leaving it to soak for awhile swishing it. Then I put it in the clean water and rinse it then hang it up to dry. Dying fabric is a crapshoot sometimes it takes even sometimes it doesn't. It depends on the fabric content. But I like the tie dye effect I grew up in the hippie era. I've dyed a lot of my TG wardrobe in the past, most of those pieces I wore til they fell apart.

Thanks. It will be an adventure. I have a huge collection of batiks, too. Born in the 50s... it's a mainstay.

Hi Jan. A couple of years ago I invested in cold water Procion dyes from Dharma Trading Company. Since then I’ve dyed many vintage linens, Natural fabrics, and even small white choir Christmas tree I use the dyes in a large plastic bowl in my kitchen sink. It’s a very specific process and requires a bit of an original investment. First wash your fabric or garment In Dharma’s textile wash to ensure the fabric is ready to dye. Mix your powder dye in a small amount of water to make a slurry and then add to your vat of water. Salt is added and later soda ash to ensure the dye Is permanent and colorfast. You basically stir for about 20 minutes And the results are stunning. Wash the garment once more in textile wash and it’s done. The colors are gorgeous, and they do not run or fade. Dharma has complete instructions on their website and I can’t recommend these dyes enough. I bought half a dozen colors that I have blended and used multiple times. They last a long time because a few teaspoons of dye powder is usually enough for a vat of dye so the small containers of dye powder go very far.

Really love the richness of those colors.