I did a lot of dyeing in this quilt, first the laces , I did FSL in ecru; then with fabric dye I "painted" in different colors, the fabric was another issue i could not find the right color, I wanted an old beige victorian look, I even went to the internet, so I went to JoAnn's Fabric bought white eyelet fabric, used Ritz Tan Dye and it came out the color I had in mind. My question was Will all these dyeing be affected if I wash it? First I thought take it to a Laundry but since I moved in not to long ago I do not know any good laundry place, now you know if you want to add colors to your FSL laces and fabric it is perfectly OK to do it.

Mary, Did you set the dye after you colored it? With salt or vinegar? This is what sets the color.If you didn't it's possible it will fade out. But in the future...if you are looking for an aged look tea or coffee is the best way to do that. Save all your used teabags in a plastic bag and put them in the fridge so they won't mildew. When you want to dye something small, boil water and put one or two teabags in the water and then drop your quilt block, lace or other fabric in the tea, the longer it sets the darker it gets, so dip once and bring it out, then rinse if it isn't dark enough, dip again a little longer. You can do this with coffee also. tea gives a yellower tone and coffee a blacker tone in color. Most the time if the fabric or lace has polyester it doesn't dye as well. Nylon is the worst. But with tea and coffee it really doesn't matter what the fiber is, because it is a natural dye. :)

1 comment

by mary51 05 Sep 2010

Yes I did set the dye, I used vinegar and then a very hot iron. I did use coffe but It was not the color I wanted thank you for the tea tip.

I'm hapy for you! At the kaundry you do not always know which chemicaal soap they use.

I also try to wash everything by myself. Before I embroider fabrics I know they will need to be washed one day I wash the fabric after deaming before embroidering. So they do not shrink anyore.
Also I try to buy not to he highest price - a risk - sometimes very good fabric - sometimes not.
So after buying and dying I wash and I'm on the safe side.
I use this for all kind of homeembroidery like tablerunners, dishwashingcloth, towels - everything.
Most of the people are happy to hear it is prewashed, they are not afraid what happens with the designs after washing.

I have the utility quilts that go in the washer, and the heirlooms that I wash in the bath tub with Mountain Mist quilt soap. I would have been too chicken to put that quilt in the washer----glad it worked out for you.

Your quilt is so lovely!
All fabric we use in our quilts are washable ( to pre-wash before embroidery to shrink or so colour don't run into the lighter colors. Ive also dyed some fabrics to get diff shades of blue then washed them again before cutting, but no colours ran after the dyeing process.
My MIL always said if it can squash into the automatic washing machine,"it will wash in there" But if too large you could always stamp on it in the bathtub.
I've also heard that to get your quilt to lay/lie nicely or you have a slight crunkle, Lay it flat and spray it damp and then let it dry flat.
The quilts dry on the line in sunny S.A in no time at all.
I would love to try a pretty quilt like yours! After I do all the other things I.ve got on the go.
Happy Quilting!
From Bev

Congratulations on the good work and thanks for the tip!

I am so glad it worked out for you - that is a lovely and special quilt, too.

Well, that is great. I too was afraid to wash my quilts, but they do need it from time to time. I do have a large capacity washer, and they have done well in that. But, I have never died fabrics or laces, so really glad that worked out for you.