Frequently Asked Questions About Dyeing (and related issues)

general dyeing

• How can I get the dye off my hands?
• What kind of dyes are there?
• Which dyes are more lightfast?
• What kinds of chemical bonds hold dyes to fibers?
• What is the history of tie-dye?
• Can I just use the dyes sold in the grocery store for dyeing?

fixing non-reactive dyes

• Is there anything I can do to "set" the dye on purchased fabric?
• How can I fix the shirts I just tie-dyed with Rit® dye so that they'll quit bleeding in the wash and stay bright?
• How can I set the dye from pounding flowers onto cloth?
• How can I tie-dye with Rit® dye?
• What is Retayne?

synthetic fibers

• How can I dye spandex (or Lycra or elastane)?
• How can I dye nylon?
• How can I dye rayon? New! (6/08)
• How can I dye satin or charmeuse? New! (2/09)
• How can I dye polyester?
• How can I dye acrylic?
• How can I tie-dye plush toys?

color choice

• What colors should I buy to start out with? expanded 8/2008
• Why are there so many different colors?
• How can I mix Procion MX dyes to get specific colors? New! (11/08)

dye auxiliary chemicals

• What are mordants? What's the difference between mordants and other dye chemicals?
• What is soda ash? What's it used for?
• What temperature should the soda ash be?
• What is the effect of pH? What is the optimal pH?
• What is urea for? Is it necessary?
• What is the effect of temperature?
• What is Synthrapol? Is there any substitute?
• What is Ludigol? Do I need to use it?
• Should I use distilled or spring water instead of tap water?
• Do I need to use salt?
• How are thickeners such as alginate used with dye?
• What are mordants? What's the difference between mordants and other dye chemicals?
• How do you use Silk Salt or other large salt crystals to make bursts of color?

bleaching and discharging

• Help! I ruined clothing by spattering bleach. How can I fix it?
• How do you "bleach" a screen print on a t-shirt?
• Can you tie dye something that is already dark?
• How can I neutralize the damaging effects of chlorine bleach?
• What chemicals can be used to remove dye?
• Which Procion MX dyes discharge the best? Which are good at resisting chlorine bleach? (also listed under Procion dyes, above right)

advertisements

Procion MX
Fiber Reactive
Cold Water Dye

procion MX dyes

• Which Procion MX dyes are pure, and which are mixtures?
• Which MX dyes at one supplier are the same as those at another? (same answer as the previous question)
• How can I mix Procion MX dyes to get specific colors?
• What is in Procion type dye powder?
• What is the chemical structure of Procion type dye?
• What other brand names are Procion MX type dyes sold under?
• Are there any Procion MX dyes that are not available to home dyers?
• What do the letters and numbers in the code name for a Procion MX type dye mean?
• Which Procion MX dyes discharge the best? Which are good at resisting chlorine bleach?
• How much Procion MX dye should I use? New! (12/09)

advertisements

buy from
Paradise Fibers

Washfast Acid Dyes

buy from
Paradise Fibers

procion H dyes

• Which Procion H dyes are pure unmixed colors, and which mixtures? How do they compare from one retailer to another?

acid dyes

• Which Wash Fast Acid dyes are pure, rather than mixtures?
• Which Lanaset/Sabraset dyes are pure, rather than mixtures?
• What are Kiton Levelling Acid Dyes?
• Is Kool-Aid colored with Procion dyes?
• How can I tie dye with Kool-aid?

problems

• My colors just washed out! What happened?
• My colors are not very bright. What did I do wrong?
• Why are there specks of color all over my fabric?
• Why did the thread stay white when I dyed clothing?

tying

• How do you tie-dye a star or mandela pattern?
• How do you tie-dye a spiral?
• How do you tie-dye letters of the alphabet?
• How can I tie-dye a peace sign?

miscellaneous

• How can I dye clothing or fabric in the washing machine?
• Can furniture be dyed successfully?
• Can I paint on clothing with oil paints?
• Can I screenprint with a dye resist?
• How do you tie-dye socks?

safety

• Is it safe to eat or breathe fiber reactive dyes?
• Is it safe to dye clothes during pregnancy?
• Is it safe for a breastfeeding mother to dye clothes?
• Which dyes are the safest? Which are the most dangerous?
• Aren't natural dyes always safer than synthetic dyes?
• Is all-purpose dye safer than fiber reactive dye?