How-to: Dye Silk with Kool-aid to Make Washable Play Silks and Wearable Fabric

Dye Silk with Kool-Aid

let the silk soak in the dye bath for ten minutesPut only as many silk scarves into the dye bath as will be able to agitate loosely without clumping together, doubling the recipe for the dye bath if needed for a giant scarf. If the silk remains folded or crumpled or clumped together for the entire soaking time, it will dye with a mottled look.

When the silk is immersed, set your timer for ten minutes. Stir the pot often to agitate the fabric and ensure that it remains loose in the dye bath.

Next >> Heat-set and Rinse

6 thoughts on “How-to: Dye Silk with Kool-aid to Make Washable Play Silks and Wearable Fabric”

  1. Actually, some nylon fabrics will dye with acid dyes as well. Vintage nylon, especially, but I have noticed that many nylon trims will take up food colors, although the color isn’t as brilliant as it is on silk.

      1. Yes, but then it wouldn’t be green or natural, would it? We tried this with silks from Dharma and they are fantastic, I can’t imagine nylon being anywhere near as satisfying. Red faded to a slightly lighter color, like the inside of a strawberry before it gets to the white. Purple is lighter than it looked in the pot but still quite nice, like lavender. We did 2 lemonades + 1 cherry and it made a lovely salmon color. Looking forward to doing more if I can find lemon-lime and blue moon berry!

  2. Pingback: art projects for kids and random other stuff | a happy stitch

  3. the actual amount of kool-aid should be 1 packet to 1 oz of silk… I use the same process to hand dye wool yarn.

    You can also use eye droppers or sponge brushes to paint the ‘dye’ on the playsilk, the way you would dye a skien of yarn… You can also mix up the kool-aid, water, and vinegar in a microwave safe bowl, add the silk, and microwave for 2 minutes, let rest for 2 minutes, microwave for 2 minutes, let rest for 2 minutes, lather rinse repeat until the water is clear or mostly clear. (It will be hot, as will your playsilk at this point) dump in the sink and rinse in hot water, gradually cooling, until there is no dye coming out of them

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