Dyeing clothes

[QueenCadbury]

Has anyone ever dyed anything successfully? I once dyed a cotton shirt years ago but the stitching didn't take the colour. Does this always happen?

I've got a cream jacket that I'd like to dye navy. It's 98% cotton, 2%elastane. Any thoughts whether the stitching will take the colour?

It happens because thread is usually polyester and dyeing only really works on cotton. As for your jacket, the elastane might make the whole thing a bit 'marl' like and the stitching won't take the colour.

As far as I know, from my own dying experiments, the stitching won't take the colour. Nothing I have ever dyed has taken the colour right through into the stitching, it's always stayed white. I would go for it personally as I think the white stitching would look cute on navy but if you were really hoping to get the stitching navy as well, I wouldn't do it and I'd just go and buy a navy jacket.

Looks like I'll be shopping for a new jacket then

If the thread is white, it could be bleached cotton... which will never take the dye.

Somethings look nice with white stitching.
If you never wear the jacket anyway, give it a go.

As others have said, it's polyester in the stitching that doesn't take the colour - and it's almost certainly polyester stitching in most garments.

I've successfully dyed jeans and denim jackets where contracting stitching often id intended.