Help in textiles (I think)

[dennis guy grace]

Greetings, Cousins,

Lyonel ici.

At 10:16 PM 11/12/96 EST Deirdre wrote:

>I have a friend who has lots of white fabric she wants to die. However,
>we are wondering if she should make the dress then die (the dress, not
>herself) or die first then make the dress. Neither of us have had any
>experience (sucessful or otherwise) in this area and we're baffled.
>Advise is begged. We've been told it should die well. I've seen fouled-up
>die jobs. That is not something I'd care to experience. 
>Should we use the washing machine, hot water in the sink, or a pan of
>boiling water?? She is tea-staining. I'm un-easy.

My limited experience with dying suggests you should dye first.  Not only
might the process cause a bit of shrinkage, the dye will likely settle more
heavily in crevices, making your seams and gathers darker than the rest of
the garment.  Washing machines work just fine with faster dyes, but it can
be difficult to get the dye out of the madchine's filters.  I'd go for the
big pot (brewer's size) over a low flame; it gives you control over the
temperature, duration, and (with the help of a large pair of tongs) coverage.


>p s... Did you know ferrets have no spines?  :)

Yep.  How else could you fold them and put them in your pockets?  (Not that
they'll STAY there of course.)

Yours in Virtual Service

Sir Lyonel Oliver Grace
________________________
Dennis G. Grace
Postmodern Medievalist
Division of Rhetoric and Composition
University of Texas at Austin
amazing at mail.utexas.edu
_____________________________________________

Si hoc legere scia, nimium eruditionis habes.