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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Tips & Tricks A new Dye Thread

Discussion in 'Costuming and Props' started by GentleBant, Apr 8, 2002.

  1. JainaMSolo

    JainaMSolo Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Jan 19, 2001
    Nope, I just used straight RIT.
     
  2. SWCostumer

    SWCostumer Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Jan 31, 2005
    You might want to check on Rit's web page and see if they list anything about silk dying or if they have an address to send questions in to them.

    Procion dyes can be used with vinegar instead of soda ash but the color may be off.

    As for the smell, it does diminish with time and washing. My Jedi robes are made out of silk noil, are 3 years old and barely smell of the original smell. A costume made 2 years ago that I did the dying on, also only barely has the smell.

    Regarding shrinking, best to ask the person who made it if they preshrunk the fabric. Otherwise there is no way to tell if it has been through a washing. The silk noil I am currently using is from Silkconnection (their shadow noil which has a basket weave, $2.13/yd when a full 50yd bolt is purchased). I started off with a 6yd/44" wide piece and ended with 5 2/3 yds by 42" wide.
     
  3. princessleia911

    princessleia911 Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    May 25, 2005
    Thanks, SW Costumer, the RIT site mentions adding 1/2 -1 cup white vinegar to dye bath after adding fabric. I haven't heard from my friend to see if she preshrunk the fabric but hopefully, she did(I mean, what decent costumer wouldn't unless the fabric is dry clean only?)
     
  4. SWCostumer

    SWCostumer Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Jan 31, 2005
    Just one other thought. Before washing or dying, check the seams to see if the edges have been bound. Raw silk is notorious at unbound edges for fraying and/or falling apart (depending on the weave). So if the edges aren't bound, do so before washing.

    While all silk is actually washable, many stores will mark it as "dry clean only".
     
  5. Robal_Krahl

    Robal_Krahl Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 23, 2003
    Okay, so Im trying to make a Joker costume for the upcoming Dallas Con. I already dyed my shirt orange, and now Im trying out the purple on the pants. I also want to try it out on the jacket, but there are two problems:
    1.) The coat is black, and I want it to be purple.
    2.) It's Dry-Clean Only. No RIT Color Remover allowed.
    The jacket is 30% Wool and 70% Polyester. I'm pretty much new to the whole dye thing; the shirt came out fine, but that was simple; it was white, and machine-washable. How can I get the color of this jacket from black to purple without completely destroying it?
     
  6. kay_dee

    kay_dee Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 15, 2002
    I really don't think you can turn something black into purple without removing color first. Black is such a dark pigment, putting purple over it will at best make it a black with a hint of purple. Odds are it will probably still just look black. I really think it's better to start out with a light colored jacket that can be washed, and return the black one if you can. When thing are dyed, they have to get wet. Wool is dyable, but since your jacket is already constructed you run the risk of it shrinking when submerged in the dye bath.

    The only other thing I can think of is fabric paint, but I really wouldn't suggest painting your entire jacket with the stuff. It's bound to look like paint.
     
  7. Arsinoe

    Arsinoe Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Jun 24, 1999
    The polyester is your real problem. Poly doesn't dye well or lose it's colour easily. The wool would strip/dye just fine, the poly would stay black.

    Not quite the look you're wanting...right?

    As Kay-dee said, you'd be better off with a light coloured washable jacket. Make sure there's little or no poly in it. Only natural fibers like wool, linen, silk, cotton, etc dye well.
     
  8. Robal_Krahl

    Robal_Krahl Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 23, 2003
    The wool actually covers the outside of the jacket; the polyester is on the inside. My problem with getting a light jacket is money; I shopped for a few hours, looking for a jacket under $100, and the black one is the only one that fit the bill.
    Can Dry-Cleaners dye it if I asked them too?
     
  9. kay_dee

    kay_dee Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 15, 2002
    As far as I know, there is no such thing as a "dry" dye. All dyes I've ever heard or read about use water baths. The fabric has to get wet. Sorry, that's just how they work. You can try spraying the dye on with a water bottle or painting it on with a brush, but considering your jacket is black it's just not going to work. Even if a there was such a thing as a dry dye, you can't turn black into purple. Not unless you paint over it with fabric paint (which tends to be a little stiff) or first use color remover (which also requires you to dunk the fabric in water). The biggest risk you run with getting your jacket wet is that the wool will shrink and it won't fit.
     
  10. princessleia911

    princessleia911 Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    May 25, 2005
    I did it!!!! I dyed my raw silk noil to a tan color. I used RIT dye Taupe but I used 5 boxes(might have been too many as the color is a little darker than I liked but it is better than before). I did add about 2 cups of white vinegar to the dye bath. I also soaked the raw silk noil in soda ash before putting it in the dye bath. I think this could have helped. The edges were bound and I am happy to report no shrinkage so my friend(who is MIA) must have pre-shrunk the fabric.
     
  11. JainaMSolo

    JainaMSolo Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Jan 19, 2001
    Congratulations! You can, if you like, make your newly-dyed pants slightly lighter by washing them with hot water a few times-- Rit doesn't have great colorfastness in hot water. Well, Rit doesnt have great colorfastness, period, so once they're the color you want (or if you decide you like this darker color) then wash them separately in cold water when they need to be cleaned. That'll help them keep their color for a longer time.
     
  12. Queen-of-Naboo

    Queen-of-Naboo Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Jul 21, 2006
    Hey,
    I have a strange question. I'm getting the Ep.III green, velvet dress from someone without the symbols etched in it. I know that once they are etched, they reveal the back of the material to be purple ( http://www.padawansguide.com/padme3/mustard/symbol.jpg ).

    However, the dress I'm getting is made from a velvet that is all green, no purple backing. So, how should I dye the symbols that color once I etch them into the dress? Myabe something simple like sharpy? hehe

    Thanx,
    ~Tally
     
  13. Arsinoe

    Arsinoe Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Jun 24, 1999
    First off, etching can only be done on silk velvet. You can't do it on 100% rayon velvet because the etching chemical will eat all the way through.

    As for dying...you could very carefully paint the etched out area with the purple dye or use a seriously watered down fabric paint.

    AND...this is the most important thing...TEST TEST TEST first. Test everything first on a scrap piece of the material before doing anything else. Just to make sure you know what's going on and the stuff you're using the way you intend to use it won't ruin the real outfit.
     
  14. JainaMSolo

    JainaMSolo Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Jan 19, 2001
    I believe kay_dee had some success mixing her silk paint with the etching solution. She'd have to speak to the specifics, though.
     
  15. Queen-of-Naboo

    Queen-of-Naboo Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Jul 21, 2006
    I don't think it's silk velvet. The guy I'm buying it from says he thinks it's like velour...but he's not sure. SO etching is out. Do you think I'd still be able to emboss it?
     
  16. Arsinoe

    Arsinoe Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Jun 24, 1999
    yeah, you should be able to, but get a piece of scrap off him too, so you can test for the proper iron temperature to get the effect you want.
     
  17. Queen-of-Naboo

    Queen-of-Naboo Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Jul 21, 2006
    He doesn't have any scrap. the dress was made for his wife who is now selling it. I'm going to tast a small corner somewhere no one will notice.

    Thanks for your help!
     
  18. kay_dee

    kay_dee Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 15, 2002
    It was Jaquard silk colors that I mixed with the etching solution. That way you can dye and etch at the same time. I believe you can also mix in actual concentrated dye too (according to one of my dye books). I don't know how that will work if your backing fabric is already green. Perhaps if it is a very bright concentrated red, once it overdyes the green you'll get that more muted red/burgundy that the costume has?

    If that doesn't work, you can very carefully and slowly paint the color in afterward with Jaquard textile paint. But you really have to take it easy, because if you slip and get it on your pile it really won't be practical to get it out. But I had some luck doing it that way too when I was testing all kinds of ways to do the family gown cloak burn-out design. Good luck!
     
  19. Obey Wann

    Obey Wann Former RMFF CR & SW Region RSA star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jan 14, 2000
    Thanks to everyone who has posted advice in this thread. I'm going to try and modify a german snow poncho to an endor-like poncho. It's mostly for paintball, but if it works, I might just (eventually) have to do an endor rebel trooper...

    http://www.sportsmansguide.com/cb/cb.asp?a=99581

    Here's hoping it works...
     
  20. SWCostumer

    SWCostumer Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Jan 31, 2005
    The key to using Fiber Etch is knowing the total fiber content of the fabric you are using. Any "plant" fibers will be removed by Fiber Etch; so a 100% cotton, linen, rayon fabric will totally be "burned" away. Any "animal" or synthetic fiber will not be affected (unless you leave the Fiber etch on for a long period of time on a delicate fabric).

    Blends should be tested to see how the fabric was woven. If the warp is one type of fiber and the weft is the other, you will be left with strings of fabric and not a thinner weave.

    As others have stated, "Test your fabrics". I just finished making a full lace version of the Jadis, White Witch of Naria using 100% cotton muslin covered with many rows of zig-zagging w/poly thread over yarn (wool & acrylic). After applying a full 32oz. bottle to the dress, there was no cotton left, but there was a very intricate lace dress.
     
  21. GentleBant

    GentleBant Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 21, 1999
    I'm redoing the flame gown for the RP, and got stuck.

    "Any help here..."...please, please, help?

    I ended up having to rush the dye job, which meant I made a huge mistake. I dyed the orange band after the yellow with both pieces still right side up, and of course, the orange ran/spilled onto the yellow.

    I tried covering up the spills with more yellow, but since I didn't have time to let the orange completely dry first (I have to have this done tomorrow), it just mixed.

    Any ideas?
    Links to how this looks:
    http://gentlebant.com/images/flamegown/flamedyeboth.jpg
    http://gentlebant.com/images/flamegown/flametopdye.jpg
    http://gentlebant.com/images/flamegown/flameskirtdye.jpg
     
  22. GentleBant

    GentleBant Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 21, 1999
    Nevermind...OxyClean to the rescue! (It got most of the orange out while letting the yellow stay!)
     
  23. Obi-Dawn Kenobi

    Obi-Dawn Kenobi Manager Emeritus star 4 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jan 27, 2000
    Have a fantastic time in the parade GentleBant! I'll totally be watching for you on tv! :)
     
  24. Annya_Latoure2

    Annya_Latoure2 Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 15, 2003
    Shouldn't you have started with the yellow then added the orange?
     
  25. GentleBant

    GentleBant Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 21, 1999
    Thanks, Obi-Dawn! :~) It may be hard to see me though...from what I've heard, I'll be walking along the non-camera side of the Naboo float, down in the street below one of the queens. :~)

    Yep, that's what I did, *only* I had a brain hiccup and didn't flip the pieces upside down so that the orange would run *up* instead of *down* onto the yellow. /sigh If I'd remembered to flip them, I would have saved myself a lot of time and heartache!