Today was set aside for dyeing. I've been collecting fabric to make into scarves - some jersey, some cotton voile. Lovely colours, but all very bright. I thought I might overdye some of each to tone down the colours a smidgen and give me a little scarf variety - I had plenty of yardage, after all. So last time I was in town, I picked up some Dylon. Read the instructions, weighed the fabric, popped it in the machine.
Waited with excitement. There is no after photo. I seem to have dyed the whole lot jet black. Along with the rubber seal on my washing machine. Not my finest crafting day.
Oh no... No no no..
Everything? Black?
I don't know what to say...
Posted by: monica | 16 March 2011 at 20:21
Oh phooey. I had a similar experience dyeing play silks a few months ago. I wasn't pleased with one of the colors in my striped rainbow silkie, so back I went. Now it is uniformly a dark, murky green.
Better luck next time...
Posted by: Lynn | 17 March 2011 at 01:00
I'm so sorry I'm having a chuckle right now... really I am! I'm just so glad I'm not the only one these things happen to.
Posted by: Tara | 17 March 2011 at 02:04
But black is a great colour, so it could have been worse (I might have been one of those people that dyed some laundry pink by accident...)
Posted by: UK lass in US | 17 March 2011 at 02:39
Ugh! Poor you! Dyeing always seems to have that high risk feel to me, but admire you so much for giving it a go!
Posted by: Donna | 17 March 2011 at 07:21
... there's always tomorrow? Not helpful?
Buy some dye stripper/ discharge and have another go with the same fabric.Or, get some bleach and draw patterns onto the fabric with it and see what happens...
Posted by: janet clare | 17 March 2011 at 07:41
I dyed a denim jacket that had faded when I was a teenager. I died it blue with a hope of restoring it to its former glory - for some reason it came out a really horrible colour, a dark, sludgey, greeny grey. In my mind's eye I can still see it hanging off the wooden rack, and feel my overwhelming teenage despair.
From my experiences redyeing things black, though, I recommend sticking a cup of bleach in the empty washing machine and putting it on high.
Posted by: The Coffee Lady | 17 March 2011 at 07:41
You are remarkably brave to put Dylon in your washing machine. I've ruined more washing up bowls with it than I care to admit.
Posted by: dottycookie | 17 March 2011 at 08:04
This reminds me why I avoid dyeing fabrics!
Posted by: Gina | 17 March 2011 at 08:10
But black is the new ...errr...turquoise, orange and lime green, darling.
Posted by: Alice C | 17 March 2011 at 08:14
Bugger!
Posted by: French Knots | 17 March 2011 at 08:26
Oh Ali, am reminded of my mother's face many years ago when I had a similar adventure. You could go the whole hog and introduce a bit of bleach, tie died shade of black & grey?
Posted by: Rebecca | 17 March 2011 at 08:53
I see I mistyped dyed... An omen I think... Proceed with bleach at your peril.
Posted by: Rebecca | 17 March 2011 at 08:55
Oops! x
Posted by: PinkCat | 17 March 2011 at 10:37
can you get something from dylon that will remove dye too? Or is that just wishful thinking on your part?
Posted by: Monda | 17 March 2011 at 11:44
Crappity crap.
Posted by: lina | 17 March 2011 at 11:59
Oh, how annoying. I've always had good luck with washing machine dyeing - mainly for play costumes when husband was a drama teacher. Running the machine through with bleach and washing powder on high heat should neutralise the dye there - you could try the colour remover or the pre-dye stuff on the fabrics but I think it's the luck of the draw how each different fabric reacts.
Posted by: Jane | 17 March 2011 at 12:21
Ooo-er. Is your washing machine full of black too?
Posted by: Sue | 17 March 2011 at 12:50
You can get a dye stripper - used to be called Dygon (ha ha) no really! Which should strip the colour - but hard to tell by how much. I used to use it all the time in my old job - it smells fowl! But in the washing machine you shouldn't notice and it might help strip the colour from your machine.
I too always put a bit of bleach in. then run on hottest wash with an empty machine.
G
xx
Posted by: Gill | 17 March 2011 at 13:12
Oh No!!! I'm thinking this might be why I'm afraid to try dying!!! Treat yourself to some yummy baked goods as a consolation. ;-)
Posted by: Thimbleanna | 17 March 2011 at 13:18
ooops!
Posted by: Paola | 17 March 2011 at 14:11
Oh, but I'd love a black cotton voile scarf...with ragged edges. Could you arrange that too?
Posted by: blackbird | 17 March 2011 at 15:18
Oh NO! So sorry! Will baking soda work to get the dye out? So so so sorry. That hurts.
Posted by: greetingarts | 17 March 2011 at 16:39
Oh No!
If your washing machine is anything like ours, it should look a normal colour in about two years.
A friend of mine has a brilliant Bosch washing machine freecycled by a fabric dyer, and perfect other than a black rather than grey seal.
Posted by: Amanda | 17 March 2011 at 20:22
Pas bon, pas bon
One of my friends once did a machine dye on a red dress but forgot to read the part about rinsing through the machine after use. Her husband was not impressed to discover his dress shirt was pink.
Posted by: Rhiannon | 17 March 2011 at 23:07
"... I see the girls walk by dressed in their Summer clothes.
I have to turn my head until the darkness goes."
Oh dear Ali. Perhaps Keef and Mick could proffer some solace?
Posted by: trash | 18 March 2011 at 07:02
Thankyou for posting this - other people's craft fails make me feel so much better. Currently my kitchen is full of thick burnt honey flavoured smoke after trying to make candied peel!
Posted by: Charlotte | 02 April 2011 at 14:20