To dye or not to dye - that is the question.

CH27

I want to dye some cream waffle effect throws navy blue.

Can I do that in the washing machine & whta do you think the chances of it working well are?

esmy

Most things can be machine dyed but the finish depends on the fabric - if it's cotton it will dye well, poly-cotton tends to be a bit paler, other fabrics a bit hit and miss. How big are they? You need plenty of room in your washing machine otherwise the dye won't take evenly - I had a disaster with a pair of curtains that I squashed in that went streaky.
If you wouldn't keep them in any case it's worth a try.

CH27

Thanks for the reply.
They are huge. I use them to cover the sofas.

I think maybe I need to invest in some new ones.

Henders

CH27 - I dyed a double duvet sized cotton waffle throw a few years back in the machine and it worked really well. It was a mingey beige colour and is now (and still is) a bright pink. I used Dylon machine dye so not very MS but I'm not aware of a huge range of dyes on the market.....
Big tip though..... do about 3 hot washes with sacrificial clothes or towels after as it will stay with you for ages!

shellysue

the machine wash dyes can be easy and good, IF you remember that one pack will only dye 600gms and heavy things might take quite a bit to dye as dark as you want it.

zippychick

we have an older dye thread which may help

ill merge this later

Zip

CH27

Thanks for the tips everyone:)

esalad

Hi all,
-
Just wanted to say this board is a goldmine of info! Ive been reading for months and the ideas are endless....

Id like some advice about an old favourite dress of mine which has got faded and a bit tatty. Its made of cotton mix type material and its black - would a machine dye work to bring back its former glory? Also how much do dyes cost and how do you use them?

Any help would be most appreciated

midnightraven3

Dylon do a machine dye which i have used many times successfully, around £6-£7 and there really isnt any residue left in the machine

however, if your dress has anything like elastic etc in it, that wont take the dye, so if there is any elastane fibres or thread etc used, it will show up:(

LittleLauz

Hi, I've used those machine dyes before (dylon or something) and it came out really well on a cotton dress and cotton mix top I coloured.
If I remember correctly you just basically bung it all in the machine for a wash, then run the clothes through on a wash with detergent and then give the washing machine a final spin in case any dye residue remains inside - they do come with detailed instructions on the weight of fabric that can be dyed with one pack etc.
They sell them at about £3.99 a pack in my local home b@rgains store.