Hi, I am very interested in dyeing my own silk ribbon for ribbon embroidery and would love some information on the use of colored markers to achieve this goal.  My friend used a marker on one side and it bled across to the other lightening as it went.  They were beautiful, but I don't know what she used....I thought regular craft markers.  And then I would want to make sure they were colorfast to use on pictures that may be someday be washed.

I would recommend against using regular or permanent markers on your ribbons. Instead, buy some markers specifically labeled as being fabric markers. Fabric markers are much more reliable for not fading or bleeding. Some brands require heat-fixing by ironing; others set automatically as they dry. Just check the label to be sure. The fabric markers I've used and liked best were Marvy fabric markers. The new Jacquard Products markers, Tee Juice Markers, also look good, though I haven't tried them yet myself. I like the idea of the squeezable sides.

Instead of using fabric markers, consider using a foam brush and either good thin fabric paints, such as Dye-Na-Flow or Setasilk, or silk dyes. Fabric markers will work, but silk paints or dyes will give you much more versatility, as you can mix your own colors and experiment with different ways of brushing the dye or paint onto the ribbon. The wider range of available colors, and the infinite number of colors you can create by mixing, will produce more beautiful and professional-looking silk ribbons.

Consider also thin high-quality fabric paints to add pearlescent or metallic effects to your ribbons. Jacquard Products' Lumiere is an excellent fabric paint for this purpose.

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Illustrated above, left to right: Pebeo Setasilk Silk Painting kit; Dye-Na-Flow Silk and Fabric Paint; Lumiere Pearlescent & Metallic Fabric Paint. [Click on images to see products at Blick Art Materials.] (Please help support this web site. Thank you.)