by Sheryl Borden DYEING TO REDECORATE?
Decorating your home with beautiful new furnishings can be costly, but don't give up. A flair for using color can be a quick and inexpensive way to make a big change in the way a room looks. From fabrics to wood, Rit(tm) dyes can add eye-catching appeal to throw pillows, perk up a lackluster table setting and bring distinctive character to ordinary wood and wicker furniture. And the best part is you don't need special skills to create truly unique home furnishings.
It's easy to bring a living room to life with color. Simply buy plain white or off-white cotton pillows, preferably with zip-off covers, then dye the fabric a solid color to coordinate with your current decor.
A treasured lace tablecloth or window curtains that have faded over time can be renewed with a splash of dye, too. Simply dye your tablecloth in a dark color and dye napkins in a lighter shade for an elegant touch. Or try varying amounts of two different dyes.
Most washable fabrics, including silk, are dyeable. Blends of fiber are also dyeable; however, the resulting color will be a lighter tint.
With imagination and a little know-how, you can even transform unfinished wood and wicker furniture into beautiful, one-of-a-kind heirloom pieces. Newly created treasures can easily pass the test as original "antiques" by layering dye colors. Because Rit(tm) is a water-based stain that is absorbed by the wood and wicker, the beauty of the natural wood grain will show through.
TIPS TO DYE FOR
When dyeing colored fabrics, Rit(tm) Dye will mix with the original fabric color to produce a new color ) i.e. red dye over blue fabric will produce purple.) A light color of dye will not cover darker fabric. You must first remove as much color as possible with Rit(tm) Color Remover. Printed fabrics will absorb dye colors in the light areas, but will not become solid. The printed pattern will still show through.
Soak fabrics in plain water before immersing them in the dye bath. For the deepest color results, use the hottest water that is safe for your fabrics. The longer the fabric remains in the dye bath, the deeper the resulting color.
For best color results when dyeing fabrics containing cotton, rayon, ramie or linen, add one or two cups of salt to the dye bath.
Take items out of the dye bath when they look a little darker than you want - colors will lighten as they dry.
Before applying dye, strip all paint, varnish or wax from furniture. Also, remove dirt or grease from surface with a warm, sudsy cloth. Then rinse well and allow to dry. HOW TO STAIN WOOD AND WICKER
Dissolve powder Rit(tm) in one pint of simmering (not boiling) water in a saucepan on the stove. With liquid dye, combine equal parts dye and water, then bring to a simmer.
Test the color, using a paintbrush or sponge, on the underside of the item and allow to dry. For deeper color, add more dye. For lighter color, add more hot water. The stained surface will appear slightly darker when wet.
Apply warm dye solution to surface with a paintbrush or sponge, using even strokes.
For smaller projects, such as baskets and dried flowers, mix the dye solution in a sink or tub and dip items directly into the dye bath. If the color appears too light when dry, apply another coat. To make the color lighter, go over the surface of the article with water and a clean cloth.
To protect and seal in color, coat with a polyurethane finish, clear vanish or shellac.
For additional information write to:
Rit(tm) consumer Affairs
P. O. Box 21070
Indianapolis, IN 46221-1070COURTESY: Deborah Durham
Rit(tm)
Sheryl Borden is the Producer and host of the PBS series, Creative Living with Sheryl Borden. Celebrating its 23rd year, the magazine-formatted "how-to" show is produced by KENW-TV in Portales, New Mexico and is carried in 40 states and 100 markets. It airs on KENW (Channel 3) on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 12 noon, Tuesday evenings at 9:30 PM, and on Saturdays at 2 PM.
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