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Colorhue dyes for children's playsilks?

I'm very curious about these dyes. I've seen where they react quickly with very little rinsing but also read Paula's Q/A about it not making sense that they could be reactive dyes and that makes sense to me as well.

Anyways, I've been dyeing silks with procion dye and soda ash because I really don't have a place to set up an acid dye station with a heat source (small apartment, big toddler). But I'm also wanting to try some shibori techniques that don't really work well when I have to wait for the procion dye to batch. Then again, I have no use for silk yardage, silk ribbon or for dancer's veils. And most of my customers have kids who really seem to enjoy playsilks. I saw they are labeled as "non-toxic".. are they really?

Also, would they work in combination with procion dye? They are kind of expensive.. I can see myself dyeing the silks solid colors with procion dye and then just using the colorhue dyes for stitched/clamped detailing. Would that work?

TIA!

By klaw at 2009-05-21 12:27 | Silk | login or register to post comments | previous forum topic | next forum topic

tried some colorhue samples last night

While I'll be making a fuller blog post later, just thought I would report.

First off, their "15 to 20 drops in a 1/2 c water" is way too low. With their Electric Blue at that ratio, I got a pale blue. (For my dropper, about 12 drops is 1/4t, if that's at all useful to you.)

Second thing I noticed was that they are not kidding when they say these dyes don't spread much. I used a total of 1 c of dilute dye to pour over a 5mm habotai veil scrunched on a pole. When I've done this with Procion MX, that's plenty. In this case, the dye clearly did not penetrate all the way to the pole (though the silk started out wet). So I'll be using more volume next time.

I also noticed that this dye clings most stubbornly to my glass and plastic dye mixing items. It's quite hard to get off.

On the other hand... dang, it was fast. No powder to dissolve. No batching. No heating. I diluted it, applied it, rinsed it, overdyed it, and I was done in 45 minutes flat. These dyes are quite expensive ($30 for 8 oz!) but if time is the premium, and direct application does what you want, it might be worth it.

my blog: A Good Day to Dye

By tigerb at Thu, 2009-06-25 09:31 | login or register to post comments

colorhue samples

Did you notice any change in hand? Particularly since you were using 5mm habotai? I used Colorhue dyes a couple of years ago, to sample, and what I seem to recall was that there was a slight change in hand, my scarves didn't drape quite the same. But I also had some other issues, so I'm wondering now if I just decided to be prejudiced about these dyes. Also, I seem to recall someone said (but I don't remember where I heard this) that there are actually pigments in these dyes or some of the colors -- does anyone know? Your comment about the dyes "clinging" to glass and plastic seem to cast a little suspicion thataway, but I could very well be wrong. --Pia

By pfishy at Thu, 2009-06-25 13:39 | login or register to post comments

the colorhue problem

Well, I reflexively washed the silk in Milsoft... umm... because I always do. So I'm not sure if I'll still be able to detect changes in hand. But when I iron it up, I'll pay attention and make a note on that front as well.

I was quite boggled by the fact I couldn't just rinse my glassware clean. I had to take my Magic Eraser to it. I find it hard to believe these are simply dyes.

my blog: A Good Day to Dye

By tigerb at Thu, 2009-06-25 16:19 | login or register to post comments

re: the colorhue problem

Eww... that does not sound fun. Kind of defeats the purpose of easy to use and fast, doesn't it? A long cleanup doesn't sound very fun at all. Remind me to run to the dollar store before I try them and get a separate set of utensils for them.

-Kris / kolouri.com

By klaw at Sat, 2009-06-27 01:32 | login or register to post comments

colorhue: dye as paint

From my own trials I'm pretty sure that while the ColorHue Instant Set Silk Dyes may be colored with reactive dyes, as claimed, they must be fixed by the use of some sort of fabric paint type binder, so that while they can say that the ColorHues are dyes, they function as fabric paints. That would explain the instant setting and the clinging to non-fiber items. It's not a versatile fabric paint though, not like, say, Dye-Na-Flow or Dharma Pigment Dyes, in that it does not work well on cotton or rayon, let alone synthetic fibers. I've used silk paints that did not work well on other fibers before, though, such as the old Deka Silk Paint, which I was using before I ever tried good dyes. Deka Silk Paint worked extremely well on silk, with only a modest change in hand, but not well on other fibers. Its binder required heat setting, but not all do.

-Paula

By pburch at Fri, 2009-06-26 06:52 | login or register to post comments

re: colorhue samples

Great! I'll be checking out your blog later for pics :)
I haven't even ordered the sample set yet... been too busy dyeing those gradated wraps LOL.

-Kris / kolouri.com

By klaw at Thu, 2009-06-25 11:56 | login or register to post comments

colorhue

Yes, you could use the colorhue dyes in combination with other dyes. i have done this many times. and yes, they are non toxic as stated on the packaging. (they are made by a major dye mfg specially formulated for Maggie Backman of Silk Things) We use these dyes in traveling workshops at shows, in classrooms, and festival demos as they require no chemicals or heating.
The do have limitations. They do not discharge. They can be mixed like watercolors but there are certain colors (red red, black black) that cannot be achieved. I would suggest getting the sampler pack and trying them out. I think you will find a way to use them in your work with a little experimentation. They work well for many shibori techniques which is what i use to teach shibori with outside my studio set-up.

http://www.silkthings.com/catalog.php?cat=003

glennis
www.shiborigirl.wordpress.com

By shiborigirl at Sun, 2009-06-21 11:53 | login or register to post comments

re: colorhue

Thanks! I'll definitely order one of those sample packs then :)
-Kris / kolouri.com

By klaw at Sun, 2009-06-21 19:33 | login or register to post comments

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