I had a couple of silk blouses with a few stubborn stains that refused to budge, so I decided to try to hide them with dye. Did it work? You betcha. Here’s how I did it.

Safety First

Powder dyes are toxic and easily airborne. You should follow a strict set of safety procedures to avoid unnecessary health issues.

Do not use the same vessels and utensils you use to prepare food.
Wear a mask while working with dye powders.
Avoid dying in the kitchen. Set up your dye station in a utility room sink or bathtub.
All vessels and utensils should be rust-free stainless steel, glass, or plastic.

Supplies

One to three 3 to 5 gallon containers
Water
Sous vide machine
Old pair of pantyhose
1 1/2 to 3 c. canning salt
1/4 c. 5% white vinegar
Mask
Procion MX dye powder
8 oz. bowl or measuring cup
Spoon
1 1/2 tsp. synthrapol

The Containers

You can complete this process in a single 4-gallon container, but it’ll be a lot easier if you have three:

The first one needs to be at least 4 gallons and will serve as your soaking container. It will hold your dye bath and your final Synthrapol soak. I use a 21-quart enamel-coated stock pot.
The second one needs to be large enough to submerge the fiber being dyed. It will serve as your presoaking container as well as a rinsing container for the garment, your gloved hands, and your tools. A clear plastic 12-quart food prep container works well. The clear plastic will let you be able to see when your rinse water runs clear.
The third one needs to be both deep and wide enough to work with your hands inside. It’s going to serve as an isolated work surface while you’re mixing your dye. Any spillage will be limited to the container where it can easily be cleaned up when you’re done. You’ll also use this one to hold your dirty tools while they’re not in use. A large 30-quart tote will double as a storage container for all your dying supplies.

Measuring The Ingredients

The quantity of dye and salt depends on both the weight of the garment being dyed and the depth of the desired color.

Dye

All measurements assume you’re dying 1 pound (450 gm) of fiber. Every type of fiber has a maximum amount of dye it can absorb. Using more than the fiber’s maximum capacity will not give you a darker result.

For very pale shades, use 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. dye.
For light shades, use 1/2 to 1 tsp. dye.
For medium shades, use 1 tbs. dye.
For darker shades, use 2 tbs. dye.
For darkest shades, use 4 tbs. dye.

Salt

For light to medium shades, use 1 1/2 c. salt.
For darker shades, use 2 c. salt.
For darkest shades, use 3 c. salt.

You can use regular table salt instead of canning salt. However, the finer canning salt will dissolve faster.

The Process

Fill your rinsing container with cool water. Submerge the garment to be dyed and let it sit for 15 minutes.
While the garment is soaking, add 3 gallons of water to the dye pot.
Cover the bottom of the sous vide machine with one leg of the pantyhose and secure it with a rubber band. This will prevent your garment from coming into contact with the circulator blades.
Secure the sous vide machine to the dye pot and set the temperature to 105℉.
Put on your mask before opening bottles of dye powder. Do not remove your mask until you closed the bottles and added the mixed dye to the dye pot.
While the water is heating, use your third container to mix up your dye:
1. Place the small bowl inside the bigger container, along with your bottles of dye and mixing spoon.
2. Measure out the amount of dye powder needed and slowly add it to your small bowl. If you are combining two or more colors, mix the dry colors before adding water.
3. Add a small amount of water to make a paste.
4. Continue adding water, one teaspoon at a time, stirring until the dye powder is completely dissolved.
Add the dye and salt to the dye pot. Stir thoroughly to dissolve.
Add the pre-wetted fiber to the dye pot. Leave the water in the rinsing container. You’ll use it to periodically rinse your gloves while you’re tending to the dye pot.
Stir the fiber every 3-4 minutes for 15-30 minutes. Use the longer time for darker colors. After stirring, rinse your gloved hands to avoid contaminating your surroundings with dye.
While you’re waiting, clean all of the utensils in your mixing container.
Transfer the fiber from the dye pot to your third container which should now be clean and empty.
Add the vinegar to the dye pot and stir thoroughly.
Return the fiber to the dye pot.
Stir the fiber every 3-4 minutes for 30-60 minutes. Use the longer time for darker colors. After stirring, rinse your gloved hands to avoid contaminating your surroundings with dye.
Dump the water from your rinsing container. Transfer the fiber from the dye pot to the rinsing container and allow it to cool to room temperature.
Fill the rinsing container with cool water. Rinse the fiber 3 to 4 times until the water runs almost clear.
Fill the soaking container with 3 gallons of warm water. Add the synthrapol.
Transfer the fiber to the synthrapol solution and soak for 5 to 10 minutes.
Fill the rinsing container with cool water. Rinse the fiber 3 to 4 times until the water is no longer soapy.

Caveats

The thread used on seams and topstitching may not be the same type of fiber as the rest of the garment. This will most definitely be the case for something like a silk blouse. Make sure your target color is compatible with the current thread color as it’s unlikely it will absorb the dye.
Any stained area may or may not absorb dye, depending on the nature of the stain. If you are dying a garment to hide a stain, you may get better results if you choose a color that’s a slightly darker version of the stain.

References

The garment pictured is a 100% silk blouse weighing about 100 gms. (1/4 lb.). It was originally a pale ecru with a purplish stain — probably red wine. I mixed 1 1/2 tsp. #310 (red MX-G) with 1 tsp. #410 (turquoise MX-G) to achieve the color shown in the photo.
Procion MX Instructions
I use an Anovo Culinary Sous Vide Cooker I found on craigslist.org for $25.

Brenda A. Bell

Dying Silk With Procion MX And A Sous Vide Machine