dyeing clothes/ fabric?

[garlicandsapphires]

does anyone have experience of dyeing clothes? I'm coveting a dress online but it's only available in a pale colour, and I'd like it dark navy/ black.
It's part viscose and part plant fibre. I've read that viscose is a good fabric to dye. Should I risk it?

I've not dyed viscose but have dyed lots of clothes.
Usually the thread is polyester even if the fabric is natural fibre, and it doesn't pick up the dye.
I'd not bother.

Yep, agree with above. Dying works a lot better when you are only changing the colour a bit (hair and clothes lol!). Also requires a lot of time in a washing machine for an even, machine dye. hand dyes are cooler and gentler, but also less likely to give really even finish.

I recently dyed something that was mostly black, with white bits, to mostly black, with coloured bits. That worked fine - it was made of cotton poplin and sewn with black thread that stayed black.

However that said I love a bit of experimenting. So if the dress really wasn't expensive, I might be tempted to try, but not setting my expectations too high.

Echoing pp, the stitching almost definitely won’t take the colour as it’s almost always polyester, so you’ll be left with black fabric with light coloured stitching

Came on to say what all the others have said. The stitching will not pick up the colour, so I wouldn't bother

Have dyed some things and they've turned out fine, but they were all cotton and I've heard synthetics take colour less well. It's true that the thread is often polyester now (I've dyed a vintage tshirt where that wasn't an issue), but depending on where the threading is, this may not be a problem, because it might not be visible. I dyed a few sleeveless summer tops which only had visible threading at the hem, so that didn't dye fully, but the top became a bright blue and the threading a bit lighter blue, so it's fine for that.

I've dyed mostly with Dylon (not for synthetics) and once with Rit dye. That was also with the standard one, but they do a version for synthetics, which might help to turn the polyester thread too.

I think it's worth a try if you really like it, as long as you accept that there's a risk it won't work out well and that will be your money down the drain.

I dyed a viscose dress very successfully by hand using Rit dye and following the instructions carefully. Make sure if you adjust the volumes you adjust the amount of dye accordingly. The thread didn’t dye (I didn’t expect it to) but it’s not really noticeable, one area at the front where it was obvious I unpicked the thread and re-sewed with my sewing machine. It would be more noticeable on a very dark garment though.

If the dress is worth it to you, there is always the possibility of replacing the visible stitching with a more suitable colour thread, post dyeing. It's mostly hems and neckline that show.
Viscose and similar plant fibres generally dye beautifully. I prefer the washing machine method, as it comes out more evenly.

Every garment reacts differently. So it’s down to trial and error. Expensive trial and error at that. As others have said the stitching, and buttonholes in particular (if there are any) can be a problem. Polyester usually dyes lighter and some nylon thread will not dye at all.

I think dying is better left to give something old a new lease of life, knowing the risk that it may end up in the bin, rather than splashing out on something new.