Dye, cream hose, dye!

**HarborSpringsPiper** · 17th March 10, 09:48 PM

I'm glad you posted this. I have a pair of ecru hose (not sure about their fiber comp) that ended up stained somehow. I've been wondering about using RIT to give them a second chance at a useful life. Think I'll give it a shot and see what happens.

**English Bloke** · 18th March 10, 04:09 AM

I'd give that tea thing a whirl. Assuming brownish is an acceptable end result. Does the colour last with subsequent washing?

**Tobus** · 18th March 10, 04:58 AM

Interesting. I've never heard of using tea to stain clothing on purpose!

I've already got the Rit dye, so I'll give it a shot this weekend. I'll take before and after pictures.

**DougC** · 18th March 10, 06:41 AM

RIT dye is pretty strong stuff...the kids on my lacrosse team use it to dye nylon lacrosse heads. I feel pretty good that it will dye hose too. As someone said, go one shad darker than you want...then work with the soak time until you get your result. Remember, you can always soak your hose again--but, you can't take the dye out.

**Riverkilt** · 18th March 10, 07:11 AM

I'd really suggest some research before dying.

Acrylic, Nylon, and Polyesther are most unlikely to absorb dye or anything else. From what I've learned in textiles class the dye has to be in the fiber when its made at the factory - all are synthetic fibers.

Natural fibers like linen, cotton, and wool take dye.

75% of your hose fibers are synthetic....I have faint hope for success.

Just suggesting some research first. Maybe google "dying polyesther" etc.

**Semiomniscient** · 18th March 10, 07:26 AM

I was wearing my kilt yesterday to a restaurant (because it was St. Patty's) and I asked my wife what hose I ought to wear. She looked through them and had either lovat green or cream. I explained I don't wear cream anymore... to which she responded, "well why do you have them?" I think I will try out the dying method. I think mine are all wool though--so the dye should take. But definitely let's see what you come out with. I'm very interested to know!

**lethearen** · 18th March 10, 07:33 AM

A friend of mine was going to be wearing a body suit as part of a Hallowe'en costume a few years back. The suit was all or mostly synthetic, but I don't remember what make or model. She bought the fabric and sewed it herself. She used some purple Rits dye and it worked out fine.

Unfortunately, she used her roommate's very nice (and expensive) wooden-handled spatula from Williams-Sonoma... that dyed quite well, too...

**Woodsheal** · 18th March 10, 07:57 AM

Originally Posted by English Bloke

I'd give that tea thing a whirl. Assuming brownish is an acceptable end result. Does the colour last with subsequent washing?

I dyed my white hose with tea, and it worked great. Nice brownish shade with a hint of copper. They were all-wool, though (or at least high wool content)....

**Tobus** · 18th March 10, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by Riverkilt

I'd really suggest some research before dying.

Acrylic, Nylon, and Polyesther are most unlikely to absorb dye or anything else. From what I've learned in textiles class the dye has to be in the fiber when its made at the factory - all are synthetic fibers.

Natural fibers like linen, cotton, and wool take dye.

75% of your hose fibers are synthetic....I have faint hope for success.

Just suggesting some research first. Maybe google "dying polyesther" etc.

Yes, that is what I figured. Which is why I had hoped someone here had some experience at dyeing something with this high a synthetic content.

But like I said, if it doesn't work, it's no loss. I'm not going to wear these again with a kilt unless they're some other color. And even if the dyeing process fails to work, they'll only get used as boot socks when wearing p***s. So this is not the kind of deal where if it comes out poorly I've lost a good pair of hose.

It might be interesting if the wool part of the thread takes the dye well and the others only take it so-so. I could end up with a mottled/flecked color of different green hues. I guess it all depends on how the different materials are spun into the thread.

I can live without them being dark green. Even if it's a light green (as long as it's not neon green or pastel colored) it will be better than cream.

**piperdbh** · 18th March 10, 10:51 AM

I dyed a shirt that was 50/50 cotton/poly. The cotton threads took the dye; the polyester didn't, so the overall effect is a couple of shades lighter than I'd hoped. I did another shirt with a much higher cotton %. It all took the dye except for the thread it's sewn together with. It's a synthetic thread, so the seams and stitches stayed white while the rest of the shirt turned a pretty blue-green.
I'm interested to see how your hose turn out. We'll all stay tuned!