Pages

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

dyeing for advice


Remember a while back, I mentioned in passing that I had this sweater that was a yucky color for me, but otherwise I liked it? Of course you do!

I haven't done a thing about it. I'm contemplating dying it somehow, but don't know the best approach. I was over reading Anna's knitting blog, and she was gushing about wonderful yarn colors and such, and it reminded me that I had this ugly green sweater.

So here it is in all of its if-pepto-bismol-was-green-it-would-be-this-color glory. That is my Sears Catalog pose. Sorry for the darkness, it was a rare gloomy day in Colorado. And I'm wearing my Battleship Bling that Magnum and the kids got me at that Airshow. This saved me having to take and post two pics.

Okay, so maybe this color would look right on someone lighter skinned and haired than I am, but I am anything but light skinned and haired. I'm a consumate Fall, according to the quickie Reader's Digest What Color Type are You?

And just to clarify, this sweater was given to me by a well-meaning giver. I doubt it was actually purchased with me in mind, it was more of a charity case re-gift. Okay, it was from Mom - who also happens to be the same Reader's Digest Fall that I am, so I have no idea why she even had this sweater in the first place.

So if anyone has ever dyed a sweater and had good results, I'd be interested in any tips or tricks or "lessons learned" you could share. The label says: "55% RAMIE. 45% COTTON. LOOPED AND STITCHED IN HONG KONG. KNITTED IN CHINA. CARE ON REVERSE." The buttons are some kind of plastic.

Or, as a fall back, in case there aren't any known ways to do a good dye job on the thing, I'll entertain any "Free to a Good Home" offers. Falls need not apply.
.

10 comments:

Whimsical Ranter said...

Only a mother could buy something like that. I don't know about your mom but my mom had the fashion sense of a gnat when I was kid going to school before I started shopping for myself (out of self preservation).

In any event despite the color, the cut of sweater is quite nice and again despite the color, it looks nice on you.

However aside from bleaching I have no way of helping you with the if-pepto-bismol-was-green color. The closest I've come to dying anything was tie dye.

Anonymous said...

hi nice stumbling upon ur blog, am a teacher too!!

abt ur green, try using dark fabric colour(navy blue, brown, black)with thinner and make small dasies or flowers all over or draw a crisscross pattern if u want to tone down the colour.

u luk nice tho, and in my country we are fall colour but we wear it all the time!! :)

Duble said...

I like like, but i only read reader digest in the bathroom and doctors offices, so maybe I don't know.

I do know that as someone who is on the scale of whiteness somewhere between milk and eggshell, I look horrible in yellow, but I wear it all the time it is my favorite color.

LauraBelle said...

Are you kidding?! This is a gorgeous sweater, lime green and nice cut to boot!
I LOVE it!

And, to HAVE your darker complexion, well, all the better m'dear! YOU can get away with wearing these bright colors that others (such as myself colored much like that as "jerry" commented of) CANNOT wear without looking all washed out and sickly ...

Tsk-tsk-tsk ... for you to even question dying it, ohh ... it just kills me a lil ... *shakes head*

I shall not covet her beautiful skin coloring ... I shall not covet the 'I wished I could wear that color' sweater ... I shall not covet ...

Beej said...

I love that sweater. It's perfect with your skin...are you kidding?

terri said...

I gotta agree with Beej. That sweater looks great on you! Although... I'm looking at Beej's gorgeous red hair and thinking it would look great on her too!

Herb said...

I, um, for what it's worth, me being a guy and all, like it a lot.

brandy101 said...

I think the color looks great on you.

But if you wish to dye it...

Since you cant use VERY hot (boiling) water, or else it could shrink the sweater, you will have to double the dye amount and be sure to use salt as per the directions.

You do not need to bleach it first, but you will wish to wash it in cool water possibly twice after so you dont ruin any clothes when you wash it in a batch.

Rit is ok, but at JoAnne Fabrics, there are other dye manufacturers that have more variety of colors. Avoid the stuff for ty-edye because those are typically quite bright - and it sounds like you are trying to avoid bright.

I love to dye things in the washing machine (use the *soak* feature*); after you are done dyeing, and the dye water is drained, you just run a load wiith no clothes - just hot water and bleach at the highest capacity IMMEDIATELY after you are done dyeing. The machine comes clean without a problem.

Anonymous said...

I think you were doing a Joy Luck Club kinda thing - saying thing is horrible when you are really fishing for compliments. Ach, Abby, are you that shallow? How's your Mah Jong? I do like the pose and think you should try out for one of Barkers Beauties. Can you do an effortless hand roll? I bet you can. I think lime green is your color and maybe you are Spring! Who would've guessed it? You look mahvelous!

Anonymous said...

It's a good safety sweater to wear when you've got crosswalk duty. :-)