Pure vs. Mixed Fiber Reactive Dyes: Testing to Discover Hidden Color!

Fiber reactive MX dyes comes in a myriad of colors. What isn’t always understood is that there are only thirteen or fourteen pure dyes, and all the other colors are mixed from those pure dyes. It’s important to know this because it can affect the way fabric dyes, especially if you use a low water immersion approach to dyeing, where the amount of dye solution is very limited. In this video I’ll introduce you to the pure dyes that are used to mix all the other colors, and show you how to do a “sprinkle test” in order to reveal the colors hidden in a mixed dye.

[hjertesager]

The most helpful and interesting dye video I have ever come across 🤠👍

[Fibers-Art-Food-Fundamentals]

I love dyeing fabrics, my favorites are the Procion/ Fiber Reactive MX types of dyes. Over the years I have gotten so that if it's curtains or clothes or tablecloths, pillowcases, or just covers to hide an area or pile of books, I truly enjoy the process of planning and creating one of a kind pieces. Whenever I wear anything I have dyed, I get comments. I love the playful aspect of the learning...I am less inclined to do as I did at first and document every thing, now I love the freedom of a general knowledge gleaned over years of exploring how it works, and find I get the most joy and excitement out of making the unexpected...ice/snow dyeing, low water immersion, often dyeing, washing and doing another layer, sometimes many layers to create the effects I want. Even after countless end results, I still learn new things frequently, and that keeps me exploring and playing. I started out dyeing silks and resisted cotton til I had some very interesting flax fiber roving results, which was my toe in the water to cellulose based dyeing over the protein based. Now I enjoy both! But, for shear ease of process I think the MX dyes are so useful. I look forward to all the dyeing and other surface design videos you upload--- when I first started with fibers and fabrics, many years ago now, one of your first books was the book I had to have, and was the jumping off point for numerous creative ideas and processes. I so appreciate that you put all those ideas in book form, as it made it ok to try pretty much anything, and gave me a lot to dream about. I also create mixed media art, including fabrics and found nature items like shells and twigs in my works, and will dye or paint various layers as needed. Thank you for continuing to be a source of inspiration and ideas to so many people.

[martypenner]

Understanding pure dye colours is very helpful and makes things less confusing. The entire utube has such valuable information---one example is different length of time each colours takes to adhere to fabric etc. Thanks so much.

[chuckbobuck]

thank you. there is a shift in mind set from mixing paints to mixing dyes. this has me thinking more carefully about mixing my own colours, especially when ice dyeing.

[Cariboolife]

Thank you Jane, I started with MX dyes from ProChem over 40 years ago because they were the best, glad to hear that even today they have remained true. Now that I’m retired I’m excited to start playing and creating and your videos are a great refresher, inspiration, & knowledge source.

[littlekentucky]

This is SO helpful, I am just learning to dye, just dyed my first time ever today and I’m so grateful I have discovered your channel, I just subscribed, I will be binge watching your channel, Thank you so much for this video 😊❤

[jamiegibson]

I had my students divide a coffee filter into quarters. They tested black markers to watch the colors that made up the dye spread apart and appear on the white coffee filter. We tested as many brands as I could manage to find. They loved predicting what might appear. Thank you for this video.

[michellemonds]

Thank you! This is a wonderful video. I knew by doing ice dyes they split but you explained it so wonderfully!

[cathysuitor]

I discovered the hard way that Dharma’s Midnight blue has some fushia in it. I love the color, but didn’t expect the random fushia. Thank you for explaining how it got there. At first, I thought I was losing it.

[hykueonion]

Thank you for this excellent informative video! You included all the most important information!

[Annie.]

I just started with dyes and was wondering why my black looked blue on the fabric. This helps a lot.
Coffee does that to me too. 😄

[ramprasadgaddikeri]

very informative ! thank you very much !

[SaysVeronica]

Thank you Jane ... i have many small pieces of white fabric that will be fun to use as test pieces!

[margaretgorski]

Thanks Jane! I think i will order some white jersey and do some dyeing before I sew up some t shirts. I want to test out dyeing some cotton spandex blend. (Testing it out on swatch). I will also have some fun doing the paper towel testing to get a preview of the dyes splitting.

[kierand]

Great video, Jane.

If I'm mixing colours (Procion MX Dye specifically, ) what's the best way to get a read on what the final result might look like before dyeing?

If I'm really happy with the how the colour of the dye bath looks is that enough? Or is there a better way to assess the final colour?

[toshasweetheart]

Great Video! What brand of powder dye are you testing in this video?

[denisestover]

Hi! I'm a silk painter and I use DuPont Silk Dyes. They are liquid. Will I be able to split them or is it just the powdered dyes? I also love the splits that the ice dyers get! Beautiful!
I love your anamorphic explanation! It made complete sense! Thank you for generously sharing your passion and love with all of us!
BTW, in another video you mentioned you were in south Texas. I'm a transplant from Biloxi but i'm in Lufkin. Where are you?

[DonitaLasansky-ohvz]

I want print CYMK on silk do I let each color dry before I add the next color on top of the silk? And what is the best way to cure silk?