#dyeing tutorial

Posting here since they don't have it on their tumblr but PLEASE go give them a look. This is who I commissioned to dye my Sorrow Petit Gem after seeing theirs turn out so amazingly well! I loathe the idea of painting or blushing the colors as it would be absolute suffering with joint friction.

Hi there!

I definitely have done like a little mini tutorial for dyeing before, but I can’t find it either! (If you dug all the way through my ‘replies’ tag you could probably find it but that’s so much effort) I’ll write up a new one for you instead!

(You’d thinking having had to do lab reports for my degree I’d be better at writing tutorials, but I’m really not)

Materials:

iDye Poly or Rit Dyemore in the colour/s of your choice

A large pot (preferably stainless steel) that you don’t also use for food (you can use a food pot if you bleach it after, but I personally just wouldn’t risk it)

An electric kitchen timer (or a phone, I just had a timer already and it means I don’t have to risk getting dye on my phone)

Either a fry basket, an aquarium basket or a good amount of string

If using the string method, something to put across the pot and hang the bits from, I use a slotted spoon (because I can also use it to rescue bits that escape their strings)

A tester piece of resin (either a spare piece, a headcap, or a hidden joint bit [or a foot])

Method

If you’re going to use the string method, run string through all the stringing channels to hang the resin bits in the dye bath. Make sure it’s long enough to actually be in the dye bath when you suspend it

Fill a pot of water about three quarters full. Bring it to a nice rolling boil

If using iDye Poly, mix the powder in hot water before adding to the pot to try and pre-dissolve it. If using Rit Dyemore, just add however much dye you want to the boiling water

Let the pot come back up to a boil and use your tester piece to check the colour and the timing. I usually work in 15 second batches if I want a light colour, 30 seconds if I want a dark colour

Once you’ve worked out how long you need to submerge each piece, go ahead and start dyeing (either by suspending with some string or by putting it in the basket, depending on what you’re using)

As soon as the time is up for a piece, pull it out of the dye and run it under cold water (if you live somewhere where your water can get to freezing, maybe have a jug of lukewarm water to use instead. Also pro tip, don’t try and dye when they’ve turned off the water to work on the water mains, makes life a little hard)

Once everything has been dyed and rinsed, leave it on some paper towel to dry at least overnight.

Optional step: seal with the sealant of your choice (I know some people do this, I personally don’t but the option’s there)

Restring your doll once the channels have dried fully and enjoy your newly dyed doll! :D

I hope that helps!

Had a friend ask me to break down how I personally dye my wigs and my furs. This was the note I created. 

Images of my hand dyed wigs

Ingredients:

70% Isopropyl Alcohol (found in any health wellness section of anystore)

Acrylic Ink (Personal fan of Dr PH Martin's Bombay Inda Ink. http://www.dickblick.com/products/dr-ph-martins-bombay-india-inks/ Found in Hobby Lobby {After a good hunt around, the current confirmed Hobby Lobby that carries it all the time is located at 80th and Wadsworth} or Amazon)

  Recipe:

Roughly 8 droppers of ink for every 1 cup of alcohol

  Variations/Lessons learned:

Want a lighter color? Less ink

Darker/richer color? Add more ink

Red and blue easily overtake other colors. (IE: after a pale green? 6 droppers of yellow, 1/2 a dropper of blue (maybe even less), slowly add more blue if needed.)

There is no such thing as black ink. It's normally a dark green/red/purple. If you're after black, you're going to have to get Katie Bair's wig dye (even then, I've never tested the black, so I don't know if this is true)

  Application types (GLOVES!! DON'T FORGET GLOVES!!):

Soak - Basic and easy. Fill a sink/bowl with the color (Note: Plastics WILL get dyed. Stick to metal or be willing to sacrafice a container), add wig or fur to the container. Swish around, pull out, let set somewhere to dry .

Spray - Fill a spray bottle with the dye (note: that bottle is now stuck for that color {or close variations} for the rest of its life. If you're going to do this, go to Sally's and get a cheap bottle from there) and spray wig/fur with the dye. (Note: This one can end up with spotty affects if it's not saturated enough). For a wig, comb through. For fur, rub through. Let dry.

Paintbrush - With any brush (personal fan of foam brushes), apply the dye, section at a time (good for streaks, layers, blending, etc etc). Comb through material, let dry.

  Drying information:

THE LONGER YOU LET THE DYE DRY, THE BETTER IT'LL STICK TO THE MATERIAL. I cannot stress this enough. If you add the dye, then rinse it off, it won't have time to stick. It's good for insanely pale colors, but if you want the color you see (or close to), let the material dry COMPLETELY.

  Rinsing information:

Stick the fur/wig in running water until the water runs clear under. I prefer cold water since it doesn't affect the material (hot water can alter a wig if it's too hot, etc etc) but do what you like.

Personal step: Use shampoo and conditioner on the material. The shampoo pulls the last of the dye out and the conditioner seems to help reduce the damage the alcohol does to the material. Also gets rid of the alcohol smell.