Kitebuilder.com - Fly... with a little help from your friends.

[powder_pig]

I am into applique in a big way. The designs I applique sometimes can't be made out of standard colors or I might just need a half yard of brown and don't want to wait for it or I can't find the color.

I dye it.





It doesn't take long and it isn't hard to do. It's just one of those things that you won't do if you don't know how. Here's how.

The dye.

I use "I DYE POLY" dyes. I get them with a 40% off coupon from Joanns and they run a couple of bucks a color.

There are two packets in the package. The dye in a dissolve-able envelope and a packet of a liquid that makes the color brighter.



Add about three gallons of water in an enamel pot and heat it on the stove top until it is simmering...not boiling. It needs to be hot but not boiling.

Add the dye packet (I cut the packs of color dye open and empty the contents into the water because I think the gelatin clings to the fabric and makes a mess) and, along with the dye, tear open and add the color intensifier.



I used red and a bit of green to get a nice brown. I use black for a number of grays and just dyed up some cranberry.

In this demonstration I wanted a little brown ...a 2' square is all I needed.

I found a scrap of white big enough for what I needed.



Take your fabric, might be 2 or 3 sq. yards or just a scrap like I have, and wet it with warm water in the sink.



When your dye is steaming hot but not quite boiling drop the fabric in the dye mixture and immerse it until it stays under. Timing is kind of critical because if you need a light color you don't want it in the dye long.



NOTE: I dye the really intense color first, then If I want a lighter color or two, I dump half out and add more water to dilute the solution and do the lighter color. Sometimes I will do this a couple of times to really get light colors.

When the fabric is about what you want, take it out of the dye and rinse it in the sink under cold or tepid water until the water runs clear.



Then, with an iron, iron the fabric until it is dry. I use a setting just below the "steam" setting, 3 on my iron. The ironing steams the fabric dry and sets the dye.



That's really all there is to it.

This is the piece ready for my use.



After I have finished I dump the used dye in a plastic storage container for later use.



The whole process takes less than an hour, start to finish.

Wash your enamel container (don't use aluminum) for next time. Use a bleach cleaner like Comet to clean up. Thanksgiving we had some interesting mashed potatoes because I forgot to really scrub the container.
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Ron

It's sunny and windy in the summer and cold and snowy in the winter...this must be what heaven is like.

[TBHinPhilly]

Ron, thanks for the nice pictoral tutorial.

A couple of questions. Are you using standard coated white Ripstop? Or are using the completely untreated fabric?

Also, how colorfast is the finished product? Will it run into other colors if it gets wet? And does it fade with time?
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Ben

[OldGoat]

Nice tutorial Pig. Thanx for posting
I'm still thinking that one of those deep fry propane turkey fryers would make a good dyeing pot.

[powder_pig]

[kiteguy]

Thanks, PP. This looks like it could solve a lot of problems for a lot of people. I have been looking for I Dye Poly, but can find none in any of the stores around here. Think I will go to the internet and see what I can find.

From your pictures, it looks like it is a very messy process. I have used Rit dye with limited success. It is messy, or at least I am when using it.

Thanks bunches for sharing.
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Dave Ellis
Kites + Kids = Education

[powder_pig]

[Wayne Tunheim]

Thanks for the pics and instructions. This is much easier that i thought.
This is on my dream skills to have.

[Gill Bloom]

Great - another kitemaker to spread the word and show how easy it is to dye Ripstop
Some of my dyed kites are getting on towards 30 years old, and there is very little fade, and the dyed material has held up as well as the normal stuff.

[BANSHEE]

I was wondering if you did this in your kitchen. I mentioned doing it here at home and Kathy just looked at me and said "don't even think of it". NOw to head to rummage o ramma and find a enamel pot and a heavy duty hot plate.
Good tutorial. For now I'll have to stick to RIT dye.
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Banshee
Go All Blacks

Pete Pumpkin is Da Man

[Gill Bloom]

[Grant L]

[mototrev]

If the dying doesn't work out it will always make a good beer brewing pot Banshee!


In the shed...portable gas stove....That's what was used in the master class I took.
_________________
Trev-(R)

"There is no such thing as the "perfect stitch" just a series of compromises that can be tolerated"

As my wife often says: "Trev- Go fly a kite!"

[planish]

[Gill Bloom]

I'm afraid after awhile the colours tend to go to black - this wooden spoon is about 10 years old,

[nckiter]

[powder_pig]

[reynolds5520]

Nice write up Ron! So, how come you say we shouldn't use aluminum for the kettle?

[BANSHEE]

Never drink anything with a blue head.
_________________
Banshee
Go All Blacks

Pete Pumpkin is Da Man

[powder_pig]

[nckiter]