FireStryker Living History Forum : Dyeing linen

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Topic: Dyeing linen

Dave Rylak
Member
Member # 342

posted 01-01-2003 10:25 AM

Hi everyone, Can anyone offer an advice on dying linen with either packaged or natural dyes? I picked up some nice heavy linen for an arming doublet but it is pure white; I'd like to have the outer part a more practicle colour if possible. Thanks in advance.

Dave

Registered: Jul 2002 | IP: Logged

Alan F
Member
Member # 386

posted 01-01-2003 02:54 PM

Dave, after 12 years in re-enactment, I've found that the best thing is to bung it in the washing machine, and let technology do the work for you! It also (usually) means less of achance that the dye will run.

Registered: Nov 2002 | IP: Logged

Dave Rylak
Member
Member # 342

posted 01-01-2003 03:47 PM

Thanks for the reply Alan, by "bunging it" do you mean using a commercialy packaged dye?

Registered: Jul 2002 | IP: Logged

Alan F
Member
Member # 386

posted 01-02-2003 09:58 AM

No, I just meant throw it in - sorry I didn't make myslef clearer!

Use a commercially made dye if you're using a machine, I have and my kit still looks good!

Registered: Nov 2002 | IP: Logged

Alienor
Member
Member # 303

posted 01-03-2003 05:55 PM

I have some recently pertinent experience, having also gotten some nice heavy white linen not long ago for a pourpoint. I was going for sort of a murrey color, so opted for the standard Rit dye in "wine." I was a little dismayed after the first try, when the result can really have been best described as 80's hot pink. I dyed it again with the same dye, and the color I ended up with is a little darker -- not that bad, but definitely not the "wine" I'd envisioned. I'm pretty sure I did everything according to the directions, but I'm an inexperienced dyer, and have no theories on why this happened beyond I don't think linen takes dye too well.

The short answer: stay away from murrey.

Alienor =)

Registered: Apr 2002 | IP: Logged

Alan F
Member
Member # 386

posted 01-03-2003 08:21 PM

Alienor, did you wash the linen first? Most linens only take the dye well if they're still damp from being washed.

Registered: Nov 2002 | IP: Logged

tim seasholtz
Member
Member # 118

posted 01-03-2003 09:14 PM

Did you dump in a goodly amount of salt?

Registered: Jan 2001 | IP: Logged

Dave Rylak
Member
Member # 342

posted 01-03-2003 11:08 PM

Thanks for the cautionary tale. Hot pink wouldn't be in keeping with the field presence I'm going for

Would the salt help or hinder the dyeing?

Registered: Jul 2002 | IP: Logged

Alan F
Member
Member # 386

posted 01-04-2003 11:18 AM

Dave, the salt helps with the Dyeing - don't ask me how!
When I did my hose, I put in 500 grams, and that seems to be pretty standard for most items of kit.

Registered: Nov 2002 | IP: Logged

Nikki
Member
Member # 27

posted 01-04-2003 12:16 PM

If you really want a dye which is light- and wash- fast, I would avoid using RIT, especially on linen. You are probably better off with something like Procion, with chemical fixers of your choice, which can be done in washing machine iirc. I recommend checking out the Dharma Trading site; they will also give helpful advice on the phone if you have questions. Dharma also carries ready-to-dye yardage in silk, hemp, and cotton (not linen or wool, tho). nayy

Registered: May 2000 | IP: Logged

kass
Member
Member # 398

posted 01-10-2003 01:05 PM

I concurr with Nikki. Procion is made by a company called Jacquard Products and I have used their silk dyes many times with great success. Although I have never used their vegetable fibre dyes (which is what Procion is), I trust their products. You can also get the dyes direct from the company at jacquardproducts.com. Once I had a problem with one of their colour removers and they had their chemist call me and help over the phone. Excellent customer service!

Avoid Rit like the plague. It's for tie-dyeing T-shirts and isn't even that good for that. Salt will help results in some instances (I think it's a hard water/soft water thing that it aids), but a bad dye is a bad dye anyway you turn it.

I have never dyed linen with anything but natural dyes, but it occurs to me that you might get a better result even with artificial dyes if you mordant your linen first. This is a time consuming process of letting the stuff soak in a solution or alum or tannin, but it really does help natural dyes to stick. Some great instructions (and some of them appropriate to 15th century techniques) are in Liles "Art and Craft of Natural Dyeing." Not a bad reference book on dyeing all around either.

Kass

Registered: Dec 2002 | IP: Logged

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