5 Tips For Dyeing Success

While dyeing fabric little things can make a big difference during a DIY project. For the best dyeing results keep these points in mind: Weigh Fabric, Pre-wash Fabric, Dyeing Time Varies, Dissolve Solution Completely and Fabric Needs Constant Motion. Failing to do one or more can result in anything from uneven appearance to lighter or darker colour intensity.

Use the tips below for your next DIY project:

Fabric in Dye Bath
  1. Weigh Fabric: each 55g box of Tintex will dye 1-pound of fabric, but fabric content plays a part in how much product is needed -- some fabrics will need more product than others to get the same intensity [Use one box for 1-pound (454g), of cotton, linen, silk, spandex & viscose. Use two boxes for 1-pound (454g), of nylon, acetate, rayon & wool]. Adjust the amount of dye powder used to your preference; use less dye for pastels and use more for darker/brighter shades. For accurate weighing you could try a food scale to weigh small amounts of fabrics. For bulky fabric items or large amounts you could weigh yourself (on a bathroom scale) and weigh again (while carrying the fabric) and subtract to get the fabric weight.
  2. Pre-wash Fabric: always start with clean fabric; prewash before dyeing could help remove some applied finishes that have been added by the manufacturer. Starting with clean fabric can help dye absorption. For the best colour results, keep your fabric wet (just remove excess water before dyeing).
  3. Dyeing Times Vary: Desired colour saturation impacts how long fabric needs to stay in the dye bath. To get Tintex 'box colour' you may need anywhere from 30-60 minutes of constant agitation in the dye bath. If you are hand dyeing that may seem like a long time to manually move the fabric around, but the results will speak for themselves. Of course lighter colours will need less time in the dye bath, pastels may need under 10 minutes (or about 20 minutes depending on fabric and desire colour preference). The dye colour saturation will always look darker while wet. while hand dyeing you can always check and adjust colour. 
  4. Completely Dissolve Dye Powder: To get even dye results you need to always dissolve powder completely (in hot water).  After the dye powder is mixed you transfer the solution into your dye bath. If the dye solution isn't completely mixed you will have an uneven appearance to your fabric that could result in streaks, blotches or flecks of colour.
  5. Fabric Needs to Move Freely: Dye bath must be suitable for your fabric size, when fabric is unintentionally twisted in a 'too small' container the dye solution won't be able to penetrate all areas. If this happens some patches may end up lighter (or darker) than what you want. If your dye bath is too small the fabric won't be able to move properly so streaks or blotches can occur.

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