Comments on: Good News, Bad News, Good News, and a Question

By: ladylinoleum

ladylinoleum — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 00:44:00 +0000

I’ve wanted to try R2 as well. I’m going over to purchase a bag this minute!

By: Heather

Heather — Thu, 06 Jul 2006 18:39:00 +0000

I’ve done a lot of dyeing and the advice the other people have given is pretty solid. I use Lanaset dyes myself (Rit and Tintex are union dyes, which ultimately means their dyeiing power is weaker.) Go for a darker shade, use a big pot, watch the temperature (gradually raising the temp can avoid instant dye strike). Or how bout enhancing the variation and doing a subtle version of painting (keep it to analogous colours)?

Good luck!

By: Brenda

Brenda — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 18:31:00 +0000

you’ve probably already checked, but just in case, the Rit site has many good tips: http://ritdye.com/default.asp

be sure to show us before and after shots!

By: ErLeCa

ErLeCa — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 15:24:00 +0000

I have had that happen before, though it wasn’t with nylon, it was with wool. I say try dying a small bit of the yarn and see how it turns out before you try dying the whole sweater. It might save you some tears in the end!

By: Cookie

Cookie — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 07:36:00 +0000

I’m tempted by the Rag over the Paper, but even at their dirt cheap prices, I think I’d have to order three bags to be able to make a decent sized sweater. (As opposed to one that has the chest missing!)

Wish I had some info on dyeing nylon. Would love to see pre- and post-dyeing pictures!

By: ang

ang — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 05:35:00 +0000

eh yah – I dye with rit and tintex all the time at work. I’m no professional dyer – and never dyed yarn but I am sure overdying a sweater will be fine. I can’t remember if you have a washing machine at home but you can probably do it right in there. That is how we do it at work. The hotter the water the better (boiling ideal) but mixing your dye in boiling water before pouring it in the machine works fine if the washer is on a hot setting. Nylon shouldn’t shrink or anything – it does take color quite well.
I’m not sure – unless you are going much darker – if it will hide the difference in the balls of yarn. I would think it would. The only time that hasn’t worked is when the color difference was caused by something other then dye – aka a mysterious stain at value village. It only makes it worse then.
You could ombre it if you used the yarn from lightest to darkest (or the other way round) – it could be quite pretty – and overdye that.
I know nothing of acid dyes – even though I took a course. I promptly forgot everything and threw out my notes.
I use tintex more then rit – I can get you it at wholesale at N.Jeffersons if you want heh heh….. better colors is the reasoning behind that I believe.
I like leaving novels in your comments.

By: Amy Boogie

Amy Boogie — Tue, 04 Jul 2006 14:27:00 +0000

I have dyed nylon and it sucks up the color fast. I mean. FAST! Like Spaaz said about the splochiness, it will be tough to get a purely even and solid color with this stuff.

By: sammimag

sammimag — Tue, 04 Jul 2006 14:06:00 +0000

The below website has some good info about dyeing nylon.
http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/FAQ/nylon.shtml

If you are starting out with uneven yarn then you will get uneven yarn. The uneven nature you have already will carry through. Read info on the site above about about low-water immersion dyeing. Then you could dye a garment or afghan few colors so you can go with a mottled look.

I’d definitely make a few swatches and do some test batches so you can see how you like it.

By: spaazlicious

spaazlicious — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 15:37:00 +0000

Ah, you’re evil for linking to the bag sale. That is crazy, crazy cheap. I need no more yarn but…no. I won’t.

It’s pretty near impossible to overdye anything without splotchiness at home, so I hope you are okay with that, maybe have a different effect planned, like camo. (To attempt evenness: You need a large container to float it in, with the dyes well distributed in it, and even then the temp differences within the pot can cause the dye to strike first and harder in certain places. Make sure the sweater is well wetted out and stir and turn it gently in the largest container you can find nearly constantly. Acid dyes are best for nylon.)