Well I'll be darned

TangerineBoutique

TangerineBoutique

VFG Member
Well I\'ll be darned

You learn something new every day. I was just up on the web looking up silk ribbon (I got a ton of 20s-50s silk ribbon in my last house lot, mostly pieces but also some yardage)

Anyway I found this website that sells new 100% silk ribbon and they had a section on dying it, one of the suggestions was to use Kool Aid.

Kool Aid? Thats just nuts. Well I went to the link they gave on how do do this and apparently Kool Aid (the unsweetened stuff) is an acid dye and will dye protien fibers (wool, silk, mohair ...) not cotton fibers though. They say it lasts without fading through a number of washes and the colors are nice. This I have to try. I have a red wool sweater from the 1930s that has a large faded spot. I was going to try spot dying it with good old Rit to see if I could save it but my curiosity has the better of me. I think I'll try this.


The website even gives tips on mixing colors I love it!! So for anyone interested here is a link to how to use Kool Aid to dye protien based fabric.

http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/FAQ/drinkmix.shtml

Who knew?

Melody
 
Melody,

When I was a young girl my mother and aunt used kool aid to dye doilies. Then we used coca cola bottles with heavy liquid starch to create a ribbon effect on the doilies.

Shhhhhhhhhhh! I have used kool aid to dye items with light stains since then.

Not sure about wool...that is a tricky one. Good luck!!!!

Nadine
 
Back about two years ago or so there were a bunch of people on the VC&A board experimenting dyeing lingerie that had stains with Kool-Aid. I tie-dyed a stained Vanity Fair Robe in Kool-Aid and sent it to my sister who still has it.

I had this saved in my files:

Kool aid dyeing


You use Koolaid, or even the Dollar general brand (cherry from DG works really well), dissolve it in a big boiler of water on the the stove, stirring it well to dissolve al the clumps. Heat it on simmer. Wet the nylon, then twist it into knots and secure with rubberbands. Put it into the dye, and simmer for a while. Rinse it well to cool it off, then undo the rubberbands, then rinse again.
The citric acid in the Koolaid is what interacts with the nylon to form a permanent dye. So, my theory is, altho I haven't tried it yet, is that I could use RIT dye, and add vinegar to make it a permanent dye on nylon.
 
I gotta say it; I've been in business forever, and this board is a WEALTH of information that I've never heard. The breadth of knowledge is just astounding.
 
And actually Kool-Aid (or generic form of it) is much easier to find. I have a dress that has sun fading on it- I wanted to try rit color remover then overdye the dress- but Target doesn't sell the color remover and neither does the usual grocery store I shop at.
 
do you guys have success using RIT dye? I have used it in the past and it never works well at all for me.

I do buy dyes from Dharma--they are a little pricier but do work well and their customer service is very good.

Never tried the Kool-Aid. I'll have to remember that.
 
Oh! I did use the kool aid trick to dye wool and it DID work.

This 1930s red wool sweater had a large faded spot and I managed to blend the color enough so it is hardly noticable. I dampened the area with water/vinegar mixture then sponged on the kool aid/water mixture. Then I put damp cloth above and below and steamed with an iron. I rinsed after to make sure the color did not wash out. It seems to be permanent. I also read that food coloring will do the same thing.
Melody
 
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