I have bought White French Cotton Guipure Lace. I want to dye it grey. Are there any special requirements for me to do other than read the instructions?
Thanks in anticipation.
I have bought White French Cotton Guipure Lace. I want to dye it grey. Are there any special requirements for me to do other than read the instructions?
Thanks in anticipation.
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Replies
depends on the dye. If you're using RIT, then just follow the directions.
I am using Dylon not RIT because I cant get a grey colour I want.
I have bought 2 lots and intend to try it out on some other cotton lace I have and see how it goes. Apparently the Dylon is a cold dye and RIT is a hot application. I wont be doing it for a weeks but will let you know the outcome! :-)
I would think you would need to keep agitating the dye bath to ensure the dye got into all the crevices of the lace. I would follow the directions for weight of the fabric rather than length.
I am not too fussed about it being completly even as the lace is appliqued onto the bodice. So I can always make it an interesting feature!
Thanks for responding! :-)
Three suggestions for dyeing anything:
1) make certain the lace/fabric is 100% cotton and does not contain any synthetic that may not take dye at all, 2) prewash the lace/fabric with mild soap or detergent to remove any sizing that will affect the dyeing process, and 3) make a sample or before starting the full length piece, noting exactly how long you immerse each sample in the solution so that you can replicate it for the full piece.
You should rinse and blot dry the sample after dying it, and then use a blowdryer set on low heat to gently speed up the drying process. Wait until you see the dried sample before deciding on the shade you want; usually dyes dry lighter, but sometimes they splotch or dry darker than you expect.
Have fun and post photos of your finished project--it sounds interesting!
I bought some special lace dyes at a quilting show, don't know the manufacturer but they work well.
http://www.marthapullen.com and http://www.dharmatradingco.com are two excellent resources for dying and heirloom work and have excellent customer service that may be of help to you.
I also think Tsukineko All Purpose Water based Inks might work well for this. I've used them on fabrics but not lace yet and they are a wonderful product. http://www.shiboridragon.com has them on their website and their are other sources for them too.
Good luck! what color background fabric will you be using?
I plan to dye the lace Grey from a White base, then I will be cutting out the flowers and leaves and applying them to the bodice. I will probably get a grey silk satin for the base.
That sounds really lovely and understated. Please post pictures when you finish with it.
That sounds really pretty and unique, hope you will post photos of your creation! Mary
I've done a lot of dying over the last several years. If you are looking for a specific color it is a little tougher, but to simplify your life and clean up I recommend using ziplock bags to immerse your fabric. you can just throw it away when you are done, it's easy to agitate the fabric and you can see the dying process. I have never had something get darker as it dries, only lighter. be sure to rinse then rinse again and rinse some more. It is amazing how the dye wants to stay in the fabric. good luck.
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