Q&A Monday: Dye! Dye! My Darling!

This week’s Q&A Monday is all about dye!

Are you afraid of dyeing?  No no no…not this kind:

This kind!  🙂

I get lots of questions about dyeing fabric.  Let’s address them, shall we?  🙂

Q:  I see you dye a lot of stuff in your washing machine.  Doesn’t that stain it?  How do I clean it out?

A:  The washing machine method is my fave.  And I have yet to stain a washing machine (my current landlord is resting easy right now)!  The instructions on the bottle (or box if you choose) tell you what to do.  Once you’re done dyeing/rinsing your future refash, just run the machine on its hottest/fullest setting with detergent and bleach.  If some of the dye got on the lid of the machine, just wipe it off with a paper towel and household cleaning spray.  BAM!  Done!  🙂

Q:  How do I know what color I’m going to end up with?

A:  You really don’t.  Well…not entirely.  A lot depends on the fabric.  Natural fibers, like cotton take to dye really well, whereas synthetic fibers like polyester or rayon barely take dye at all.

To get something to take on as much color as possible, make sure you’re dyeing it with as hot of water is safe for the fabric and try to make the dye bath as long as possible (at least 1 hour).

You’ll never be able to dye a pink polyester dress black, but you might be able to get it to turn a purple hue.  So play around a little!  Mix & Match!  Surprise yourself!

Or, if you’re feeling less adventurous, RIT has made a Color Formula Guide just for you! 🙂

Q:  What other dyeing methods should I give a try?

A:  Omigosh…the sky’s the limit, folks!  You could try a funky jar dye like Erica of Recycled Fashion.  Or, you could do a fun dip dye!  If your worried about the toxicity of artificial dye, you could try a much safer tea dye.