Strictly speaking, this isn’t a Zola Makes Things post, it’s a Zola Modifies Things post. I’ve conducted my first experiment with machine dye – Dylon Intense Violet. I have a nice soft comfy sweatshirt* that I bought in a sale. It’s a mid blue that looks a bit meh on me,  and my partner has LARPing robes that are fading, so time to dye. Click through on the pics for the full story.

This is the stuff I used. You put it in the machine drum and put the damp clothes to dye on top. Then you have to run a 40° cycle 3 times. Once to do the dye, once to wash the clothes, then once empty to clean the machine.

The sweatshirt and robe before the dye.

The dye packet did warn that artificial fabrics and stitching wouldn’t take the dye, but I gave it go anyway.

As you can see, it didn’t have much effect on the robe which is polyester or something.

The cotton sweatshirt sleeve came out a lovely rich purple, just what I wanted.

What I didn’t bargain on was that the polyester robe would act as a resist for the dye.

So wherever the robe touched the sweatshirt, the sweatshirt stayed blue.

I’m pretty sure this speckled pattern is caused by the washing machine drum.

The tie dye effect isn’t my usual style, but I do enjoy happy accidents, and it’s an interesting pattern. What do you think, friends? Keep the sweatshirt as it is, or make it solid purple?

*from Seasalt, a few years ago.