Made a dress in vile fabric. Dye, bleach and dye or bin?

[ErnesttheBavarian]

I bought the fabric online. Was shocked at how hideous it us. Sort of deep green with purple, white, yellow and turquoise flowers. Anyway I proceeded to make a dress out if it as a learning project and am surprised at how well it's turned out. Except the pattern is so hideous I can't wear it.

Gave people had experience with dying? Will the flowers still show through. It's I think 100 % cotton

I know I have got much to lose. I guess I would like to know if it is likely to work before I go through the hassle nd if I should bleach first and will it damage the fibres etc

[maz210]

Can you post a picture? How dark are the colours?

[TannhauserGate]

Could you just dye it Dark green, dark purple, or black?

[flightywoman]

If it's cotton it might take dye ok, though you may get the flowers showing through but not in their original colours.

If it's a cotton mix then the dye may not take in the full colour that you choose - I put some pale blue pyjama trousers into a black dye, but because they were a mixed fibre they went a kind of grey instead - it was bearable, but not what I wanted.

[SunnyL]

Can you test an offcut of the fabric in dye first?

[Shallishanti]

if you overdye it with eg a brown y colour, the pattern will still stay but the contrast will be toned down so might be acceptable

[lljkk]

Charity shop.

[ErnesttheBavarian]

I pit a test piece on bleach. It's taken a couple of days but it's almost white though you can still see the flowers a bit. Has anyone any experience of bleaching (before dye? )

I

I was going to get a dark green dye

[Shallishanti]

I think if you bleach it that strongly you'll damage the fabric
agree with testing a scrap

[elephantoverthehill]

There is dylon dye out stuff but then you are going to pay for dye again. I second charity shop. Buy some good fabric and next time you will make it better.

[LettuceLaughton]

The stitching is usually the main problem when you dye stuff, it is almost always dye resistent. Just make another one.

[SunnyL]

Yes I think you call this your muslin for the pattern and start again using nicer fabric.

I've mostly sworn off buying fabric online for this reason. Unless I'm buying something in a block colour in a very straightforward fabric type I now make sure I only buy my fabric from shops where I can touch it first.

Especially jersey. Learnt my lesson eventually there