Could I dye a stained Aran jumper?

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Could I dye a stained Aran jumper?
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Bugs

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 10 10:08 am Post subject: Could I dye a stained Aran jumper?

I've just washed a lovely jumper of Treacodactyl's, a beautiful Aran his mum made for him. It has come out fine but there are still marks on it which I think were coffee stains, and it's a bit grubby at the cuffs.

I have the ball bands from the wool, it's a 100% wool by Wendy. Would any kind of dye (commercial or natural, we're happy to experiment and not precious about it) work to disguise the marks and ageing? It wouldn't need to be perfect - black, navy, brown, dark green perhaps, just to make the marks stand out less. I suspect it wouldn't completely cover them up.

(And - I haven't asked him if he minds, yet...)
Thanks in advance.
Me

gz

Joined: 23 Jan 2009
Posts: 8617
Location: Ayrshire, Scotland

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 10 10:13 am Post subject:
If you're sure it is coffee, perhaps dye it with coffee? Is Sallyin Wales online?

sally_in_wales
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Joined: 06 Mar 2005
Posts: 20809
Location: sunny wales

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 10 10:18 am Post subject:
if it will survive the wool wash in the machine, the Dylon dyes will dye wool at that temperature, I quite often do pure wool fabric that way. Put the jumper in damp and you'll get a better dye take up

Bugs

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 10 10:21 am Post subject:
I'm not certain it's coffee..it could be red wine that has faded It is coffee coloured though, that would be a really nice idea if it could work. Edited as I posted while Sally did - thanks, that is very useful. I shall have an explore. Is there any particular name/type I should look for or are the all much of a muchness?

mochyn

Joined: 21 Dec 2004
Posts: 24585
Location: mid-Wales

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 10 10:23 am Post subject:
Red wine (particularly port) fades to grey. Don't ask.

sally_in_wales
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Joined: 06 Mar 2005
Posts: 20809
Location: sunny wales

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 10 10:25 am Post subject:
its the Dylon machine dye you want, comes in a box and you add salt when you use it. Expect a slightly lighter shade as you'll be doing it on a cool wash, but a packet is ample for a jumper. The cold water version would also work, (comes in tiny tins) but I'd still do it on the wool cycle of the machine to ensure it takes evenly all over

Treacodactyl
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Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 10 10:40 am Post subject:

I don't think they're stains as such but as I've worn the jumper a fair bit it's got sticky patches on it that don't wash out. I know this is sounding rather dodgy but I think they may just be splashes of oil from where I've been cooking and then these pick up dirt which just doesn't wash out on a wool cycle. The rest of the jumper is also going slightly grey, again it seems to be where the wool wash isn't getting it really clean.

Perhaps a light grey would make it a bit more respectable.

toggle

Joined: 30 Dec 2006
Posts: 11622
Location: truro

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 10 10:44 am Post subject:
you need to be careful dyeing over oil blotches. any patch covered in oil won't take dye.

marigold

Joined: 02 Sep 2005
Posts: 12458
Location: West Sussex

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 10 11:11 am Post subject:

You could wash it in washing soda first to remove any grease. If it's washable wool it'll probably tolerate a bit more heat than 30deg too - washing at 40degs with soda in with the detergent might clean it up better than a wool cycle. Wool labelled "superwash" is impossible to shrink in my experience, even if you want it to! Very hot washing does remove it's "springiness" though IYKWIM, so I wouldn't go above 40deg. Have you got any spare yarn that you could knit a test square with to experiment with washing temps?

Bugs

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 10 11:19 am Post subject:
A test square would be a good plan but we've only got enough yarn to darn with, I'll ask the (not exactly) MIL if she has any spare though. Washing soda might be an explore, failing that we'll try to pick a colour that would match/not highlight the marks - he'd actually quite like it to be mottled anyway, perhaps I should get a toothbrush and some sunflower oil and try getting artistic

Midland Spinner

Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 2931
Location: Under a green roof

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 10 11:23 am Post subject:
Be careful washing wool in washing soda - the alkali will affect the wool. It might felt in the machine anyway as you try to dye it. I'd say just keep wearing the jumper as it is, it sounds as if it's his goto jumper for cold days so just wear it for gardening etc and be proud.

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 10 3:34 pm Post subject:
Cold water dye it and tie dye? You can either put a stick in it and put elastic bands round the stick for concentric circles or put little bits of it in 'ponytails' to make random circles (this makes very hippy looking babygrows. Although I was them regularly, the dye has stood up just fine)

Rowanlady

Joined: 21 Apr 2006
Posts: 195
Location: NE Hampshire

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 10 4:44 pm Post subject:
If it might be organic-based grease maybe try soaking in a biological stain remover (ie Biotex) or a biological washing powder I've rescued many a stained garment that way - it's surprising how they can shift stains and marks that resist washing removal

Midland Spinner

Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 2931
Location: Under a green roof

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 10 4:56 pm Post subject:

Rowanlady wrote:

If it might be organic-based grease maybe try soaking in a biological stain remover (ie Biotex) or a biological washing powder

I've rescued many a stained garment that way - it's surprising how they can shift stains and marks that resist washing removal

Noooo, don't use bilogical stuff on wool! The enzymes eat the fibre!

LisaP

Joined: 24 Aug 2005
Posts: 127
Location: milton keynes

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 10 5:21 pm Post subject:
Would shampoo be gentle enough for wool? I've got oily cooking splashes out of a black cotton jumper by dabbing on neat shampoo onto the stain (on a damp garment) and rubbing in gently, then leaving for a short while before washing as normal. Neither ecover washing liquid nor ecover stain remover had shifted it in the previous 2 washes (and tumble dry )

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