Silk Ribbon Dye

[Linda McLean]

Does anyone dye their own ribbon, this is something I would like to do - suggest best dyes

Linda

[sharonb]

I do I use procion dyes. I just add silk ribbon to a pile of stuff I dye with procions. I dye threads (cotton, silk, rayon, wool) lace, and things like doylies, old hankies, wood and shell buttons and what ever else around that looks as if it is of natural fiber and will take the dye. All get dyed to incorporate in crazy quilting projects.

[Linda McLean]

Thank you Sharon, I appreciate your help

Linda
sharonb said:

I do I use procion dyes. I just add silk ribbon to a pile of stuff I dye with procions. I dye threads (cotton, silk, rayon, wool) lace, and things like doylies, old hankies, wood and shell buttons and what ever else around that looks as if it is of natural fiber and will take the dye. All get dyed to incorporate in crazy quilting projects.

[Mary Furman]

How about painting fabrics for SRE? I'd like just soft smudges to enhance the colors of the SRE added on top. What would you use for that procedure?

[sharonb]

I have only ever used dye- not paint so I am not the person to ask. I simply paint the dye on and leave them for a few hours before washing the fabric as procion dyes are cold water dyes.

[Cat Allard]

I paint fabric with Seta color paint. I can embroider on it but it's stiffer and not as easy to work with. If the paint was thick, I think it would shread the ribbon, but it you kept is watered down and washed the fabric after it was heat set, I think it might work.

Mary Furman said:

How about painting fabrics for SRE? I'd like just soft smudges to enhance the colors of the SRE added on top. What would you use for that procedure?

[Mary Furman]

Thanks Cat. I think thinning the paint might be the trick. I'm going to have to be brave and adventurous and try different things. I'm still quite new to SRE, but loving it immensely! And, of course, want to know and do everything!

[Sherri Goodman]

I've always used the RIT dyes with great success. When I did costume work for theatre, we had the big bottles of the powder in every color and used it like watercolor in terms of mixing colors to get the right color we wanted. If I wanted a particular green, I'd pick the closest RIT green color and then add in more yellow or black or brown or red, etc. and do test strips with each formula to see how it came out. For example - the original green might be 1 tsp worth in 1 cup of (boiling) water, and then add a 1/4 tsp of yellow. I'd mix that until the grains were melted and then drop in my test strip of fabric or ribbon and hold it in there for 30 seconds or 1 minute and take it out. Roll it up in a scrap piece of towel or something absorbent to get the water out. Then I'd press it with a hot dry iron to dry it right away so I could see what the color was when the fabric is dry. If the color is not what I want, then I can adjust my formula and repeat the process. This way you see what your formulas or recipes are to get the colors you want. This way you can methodically try different color mixes and know next time where you need to go to get the color you're seeking. You also see the variables you're working with and can change each one at a time to see what the results are...whether it's holding different sections of the fabric strip in the water at different time points...30 sec, 60 sec, 90 sec, etc. and then you can see how the color will deepen as you drop the strip into the mix for each length of time. Or keep the same length of time, but add a little more color with each successive batch. Or try different fabric types with each formula/recipe...cotton, silk, wool, rayon, etc.

For painting - I've used watered down acrylics. It's permanent without it being plastic. You do have to get the right consistency though. If you go to watery, you lose the intensity. If you go too thick you do get the plastic texture and it would be difficult to sew through. So you just need to experiment with the consistency of the paint to water ratio and see what works best for you. The great thing about acrylics is that you can find it anywhere...any art store will carry it. Even the cheap stuff works great. And it's easy to control.

Have fun!!

[Mary Furman]

Thank you Sherri - That's exactly the information I needed. Just enough to push me out to pick up a little paint, acrylics, and then I'll play a bit. I can see I may have to try ribbon dying as well, one of these days. Such fun!

[Lynne]

I used to dye my silk ribbon with procion when I was doing a lot of dyeing. Procion is a fiber-reactive dye - the dye actually reacts with the fibers and becomes part of them. But now I seem to dye ribbon for just one project, so I use Jacquard's DyNaFlow or Tsukineko inks. You just paint it on and iron it to set the color.

RIT is probably perfect for costuming, since costumes are used rather short-term, but I thought it had a reputation of not being very colorfast. I wouldn't want to spend a lot of time embroidering with dyed ribbon and then have the colors fade.... Perhaps my impression of RIT is out of date, I'm not sure....

~Lin Moon

[Kay Phillips]

Where is a good place to purchase ribbon for dying?

[Elmsley Rose]

Ann Cox is a professional SRE'er, and has her own site. She offers a couple of different dyes in sets, meant for ribbon dyeing. I've only seen them on the webpage - never done any dyeing of my own

"Setasilk is used for shading silk ribbon, solvent free, fluid as a dye & is iron fixed. Transparent Setacolor is water based, used to create backgrounds & depth to your work, fixed by ironing. Gutta is used on its own, or mixed with silk paint, to add colour that will not run. Ideal for petals etc., iron fixed.
SSILK Setasilk - Navy Blue, Magenta, Poppy Red, Buttercup & Primary Yellow. each.....£3.45 Set of 5.......£17.00 Order Now
SCOL Transparent Setacolor - Cardinal Red, Lemon Yellow & Cobalt Blue. each........£3.45 Set of 3.......£10.20"

from

target="_blank">http://www.anncoxsilkribbons.co.uk/other%20materials1.htm

Presumably she offers ribbon for dyeing on her site as well, tho I can't find it. The book of hers I have has lots about ribbon dyeing.

[Cat Allard]

Dharma Trading Co. has silk ribbon for dying in 4mm and 7mm and wider. www.dharmatrading.com and they also have a tutorial on dying silk ribbon with Seta Colors. Their Seta paints are a reasonable price. I order fabric painting supplies from them.