Dying a wool jumper.

[Wiennetta]

I’m thinking of dying a jumper I have. It’s a lovely 100% wool jumper, soft and snuggly but I don’t wear it as the colour isn't the best me. I’m at the point where I’ve nothing to lose, any tips? Best brands? I’ll do a hand wash dye, not machine, as I don’t want it to shrink or anything. Thinking of a dark colour - navy or black. It’s currently a camel colour.

Definitely do a hand dye - the couple of times I've tried to machine dye wool it's come out bobbly.

I find the yellow in camel makes it a very unpredictable colour to dye e.g. I once tried to dye a camel jumper dark grey and it came out khaki green - which I liked so no harm done, but if I don't want any surprises then I find the safest option is to go for a darker / deeper version of the same colour, e.g. a brown of some kind.

Any stitching or trims are unlikely to take the dye, which is another reason for sticking as close to the original colour as possible.

I've always used Dylon but I've seen Rit dyes (I think that's the correct name) recommended and which I believe will also dye polyester.

I've just dyed a lambswool jumper black. I did do it in the machine and it has come out really well. I did it on a wool wash with Dylon machine dye. It is a machine washable jumper anyway. Probably wouldn't have done it if it was hand wash only

The stitching also came out black which I'm really pleased with as I have always had that problem dyeing things in the past. It isn't a look I like really (contrast stitching?)

That's interesting DancingSober - I've only ever managed to dye the stitching on vintage things, when presumably the stitching was also cotton or wool or whatever. Was it a new(ish) jumper?

Thanks so much @Floisme and @DancingSober.

Thats a good point about the underlying colours in camel @Floisme. I don’t suit brown really eek! I’m wondering if black would work? Would that potentially go dark brown do you think? I’ll check the stitching too, I think it might be wool but need to double check.

@Floisme

Yes, I bought it last year in M&S (men's section though, as that's where I get all my knitwear 😬)

@Wiennetta did you ever do this? Any success? I have a light grey wool jumper I'd like to dye (love the shape but not the colour). It would have been expensive new (charity shop find) so I'd hate to ruin it but I really can't wear this colour!

Oh, timely thread! I have a camel merino jumper that I love/hate. I've been pondering dying it chocolate brown. And in going to be in the vicinity of a John Lewis haberdashery department tomorrow...

I hand dyed with dylon but make sure to STIR WELL. Mine is rather patchy!

I dyed a cashmere jumper from pink to purple, I use a black or navy dye, I can't remember but it came out purple.

It should dye straight to black from that colour. Maybe make the black more concentrated.

( Used to teach chemistry of dyeing at A level)