Dyes & Dyeing

Have you ever been disappointed by the results of the washing machine dyes you find at the supermarket? The zip or the stitching didn't take the dye colour? This is why it is important to know the fibre content and which dyes to use to get an even colour which stays washfast. Here we include a listing of the dyes available from this website, and th

It's never too late to change direction in life and customer Jo Aylwin is living proof! Before training as a solictor, Jo had discovered weaving as a student in Norway in 1975. Although in love with the craft, she did not encounter weaving again for another 30 years. The workshop she attended at UCA Farnham in 2005 rekindled her interest and now sh

Here's another colourful craft project for children from Cara Barrell. These personalised towels were created using a waterproof adhesive tape as a resist and Procion MX fibre reactive dyes. Procion MX dyes are formulated specifically for dyeing natural plant fibres such as cotton and linen. They are permanently fixed to the fabric when combined wi

Dye-Lishus Cotton Sliver is an undyed, PFD (prepared for dyeing) cotton fibre that has been treated to accept dye colour directly using any dye stuff. The cellulose structure is changed so that it behaves as if scoured and mordanted in preparation for dyeing before it goes to the mill; there is no chemical added to the fibre. There is no need to us

Here we include tips on how to dye polyester clothing with Fibrecrafts Disperse Dyes and Jacquard iDye Poly Dyes. Things to Concider when Dyeing Polyester Clothes Firstly you need to be absolutely certain about the type of fabric and select a dye which will work on it. Polyester has to be dyed using Disperse dyes in boiling water. These dyes are

Understanding a little about colour theory can help you to decide which colours to choose for art or craft projects. The success of a project, whether it be woven cloth or a watercolour painting, can be determined by choosing the best colour relationships. Primary Colours The primary colours red, yellow and blue are the only colours that cannot be

You may have seen our post Tie-dyed Onesies using Jacquard Procion MX dyes in which professional nannies Cara and Kim did some fun tie-dyeing with the children they look after. This post shows what the children made with the left over dyes! Tie-dye Pillowcase Project The white pillowcase were first prepared for dyeing and then soaked in a solution

A visit to the Weald & Downland Living Museum takes us on a journey through 950 years of English rural history. There are 50 historical buildings which were carefully rebuilt within the 40 acre site, demonstrations and exhibits, plus an extensive artefact collection housed in the award-winning Downland Gridshell Building. Throughout the year, t

Wild Rose Escapes run craft, wild cookery and relaxation holidays and courses in the heart of the Highlands of Scotland. Their courses include natural dyeing and felt making. We invited owner Rosie to tell us a little more about their craft holidays. "I have been running craft courses in the Highlands of Scotland for over 7 years now and since the

Professional Nannies Cara and Kim arranged this fun tie-dyeing Summer Holiday activity to entertain the children they look after. These cotton onesies were dyed by the children themselves. Tie-dyeing is a resist dyeing method. The dye is prevented from reaching the areas of fabric which are tightly bound with either elastic bands or string, or by t

These exciting soluble indigo natural dyes are derived from fermented natural indigo and alkanet. The Turquoise Blue natural dye gives a good blue and at lower concentrations provides a fine teal green. The Forest Green, which also contains fermented pomegranate, produces a deep green. Just 10g will dye 100g of materials to the full colour achieva

Need something fun to do in the sun? Make the most of the bright sunshine to create detailed prints without a camera! Jacquard Solar Fast dyes are used to create photograms, continuous tone photographs, shadow prints, and ombrès on fabric and paper. They develop their colour and become permanent upon exposure to UV light, most easily sourced from

Double dyeing devore fabric involves using two distinct and different colours in one dye bath, and a fabric made from two different fibre types which take up the two dyes independently. The image below shows how the silk net on the devore cushion cover has taken the silk/wool colour while the pile has taken the viscose/cotton colour. The fibres (f

Disperse dye can be used with various techniques and will readily colour synthetics such as polyester, nylon, cellulose acetate, vilene, viscose, synthetic velvets and PVC. They can also be used to colour plastic buttons and fastenings. Their effect is less potent on polyester, due to the molecular structure, allowing only pastel through to medium

What is Wax-Out! Wax-Out! offers an alternative solution to removing wax from finished Batik items. It is a mix of products which, individually, are already in commercial use in the textile industry for removing oils and waxes from fibres, yarn and fabrics. These contaminants arise both as from the original raw materials, wax in cotton and lanolin

Silkpaint!®Resist can be used for a number of applications and is a worthwhile addition to any painter's studio. You can dilute Silkpaint!® Resist with water (adjust to your desired consistency), or it can be diluted or coloured with a small amount of paint or dye. These flowers have been painted by Jenny Lacey using a gutta outliner and adding t

Acid dyes produce bright, intense colours and are ideal for silk painting. The simplest method is to use pre-mixed liquid silk colours such as Dupont Steam Fix Dyes or Jacquard Silk Colours, as silk painters can rely on the consistency of colour results. The most cost effective however, and with more opportunities to develop your own palette, is to

There are a range of printing inks which have been developed specifically for printing on silk screens, including the Selectasine Screen Printing System. It is also possible to use commercial dyes combined with a thickener, making the consistency similar to syrup. Silk Screen printing with Fibre Reactive Procion MX dyes Fibre Reactive Procion MX dy

Shibori, the ancient Japanese technique of fabric folding and dyeing has been brought right up to date. Traditionally indigo was used to create patterning. However, using modern dyes, discharge agents and fabrics you can easily develop complex patterns. Tying and clamping, dyeing and discharging, re-dyeing and heat setting the fabric creates a new

There are a number of ways to create rust patterns on cotton and silk fabric and here is a simple controlled method. Natural fibres take the rust colours better than synthetic fibres and fabrics should be free from oils or starches. Prepare your fabric by rinsing in a solution of synthrapol and water (half a teaspoon to 5 litres of water). A 5 litr