does anyone know how to dye angora?

Hattysattic

Hattysattic

VFG Member
Hello all!
First time I've been able to post in a while - keep getting interrupted by small children on school hols...
Anyway, I have a really lovely angora sweater dress, beaded with prong set rhinestones etc. that belonged to a friends mother. The problem is it has 2 areas of what looks like sun-bleaching (each quite large, a few inches square) in an otherwise duck ugg blue dress.
I really don't want to give up on it as it was one of those sentimental 'donations' that I would like to keep and wear myself. I don't think I could get an exact enough match with a fabric pen/paint, and had thought about trying to strip the colour and then re-dye? Or am I being too ambitious!
Any ideas welcome - sorry no pic, will try to add one if it will help :)
 
hmmmm.... can you get angora wet? I do hand wash my angora sweaters.... but I don't leave them in the water like you would to dye something.
I don't see why you couldn't sink dye it with some rit.
 
I am nervous when i reread "prong set rhinestones".

Can they be resewn on or are you thinking about "spot dying" or something to that nature?
 
that's the thing - i don't think i can spot dye so i need to be v. quick about it if i immerse the whole thing. but am prepared to risk as is good for nothing as it is... will try to ad a pic later today so you can see the colour variation.
i don't think we have rit over here - is it like a powdered dye?
thanks!
 
Hi Harriet
I have dyed beaded wool/angora sweaters before and had no problem. You just have to make sure to move the sweater around in the hot water very gently. Also, when rinsing, you have to fill up the sink with cool water and gently squeeze the excess dye out of the sweater. Sometimes it takes several sinks of water to clear the dye. Also, the beads tend to take on the color of the dye as well.

Don't think I would dye something with rhinestones though. But if you can't use the dress, you might give it a try. Or try and remove the rhinestones like Chris suggested.

Good luck!
Theresa
Blue Velvet Vintage Clothing and More
 
thank you theresa - that's excellent! it really is a kill or cure affair (and apologies still no pic, totally unmotivated at the moment and desperate for school term to restart..)
chris i will investigate the rhinestones further and see if i can remove them, good point! :USETHUMBUP:
 
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