Dyeing Something

This was my second time dyeing a bag from a craft store -- it's really quick and easy, I recommend it to everyone!

Step 1 Needed Materials

Needed Materials:
*Something to dye
*Dye (both times I've used Rit brand -- it works wonderfully and it's the only dye I can vouch for)
*Water
*Container
*Stirrer


The best place to do this is in a bathtub. The first time I dyed something I used a shower and water went everywhere. In a bathtub, the mess is contained and cleanup is easy.

WARNING: There is a chance you will dye the drain and/or surrounding area the same color as the dye, so make sure you can mess up the area you are working on. If this does happen, the sooner you clean up the dye the better. (Tilex worked, since I didn't have bleach handy.) However, porous surfaces will hold the dye -- I found this out the hard way, when not even pure bleach took the blue out.

Comments

[chu11]

Seems fun to do =D
great job ^_

[plasticmoth]

Awesome Instructable - sometimes I forget how easy these things really are, even without a textile workshop. Pity there aren't pictures of the final dried product though! This said -- there is one thing that's important for new dyers to remember; different textiles, or rather textile properties, dye at different speeds. If you are dying a simple cotton dress, sewn with cotton thread, the colours should be even -- but if the dress or embellishments are made from a different textiles, dying times will vary and you may get colour variations which are questionable! And it goes without saying, synthetic fabrics - nylon, polyester, things treated in heat/water/stain proofing - don't dye very well, if at all, because if I remember correctly, they're a polymer based plastics. Plastics hate colour! Hate them with SCIENCE! Poly/Cotton blends will dye, but the shades will be dramatically paler, and require longer dye-seeping times.

[phrosty]

I've found that artificial and natural dyes both fade over a short period of time in normal "wash/dry" conditions. To prevent this, I use the following mordant mixture to fix the dye to the fabric I'm using... and it's especially useful if you're tie-dying anything to help minimize color bleed: Fill a large non-reactive pot with clean water. Place the pot over medium heat on the stove. Add the following amounts/ingredients based upon the weight of the fabric you're dying: 10% alum for the weight of the fabric. 5% tartaric acid for the weight of the fabric. For example, say I'm dying a shirt that weighs 10 ounces... I'd use 1 ounce of alum and 1/2 an ounce of tartaric acid.

[royalestel]

I've been meaning to dye my shirt a faded blue for a long time. Still not sure how I would do that. Good tip on keeping the tub with a bit of water in it, I agree.

[cry_wolf]

Wow, looks nice and professional. I just wouldn't try it due to my tendency to spill things, but for most of you go on ahead. =D

[Stercus Fit]

Thanks. :) Honestly, I'm usually a clutz -- and I was during this too. That is exactly why I found so many tips for easy clean up, because the first time I did this I accidentally stained my shower floor. Thank goodness the college didn't care too much. ;)

[emmettsend]

Nice job. Tip for cleanup. I cannot say enough good things about the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. It is so good I've thought of doing an instructable on all it's uses.