How to Dye Silk Ribbon

Learning how to dye silk ribbon is easy and can be done at home. Silk ribbon is used as a hair decoration, home accent and many other every day things. Dying any material can be time consuming, confusing and hard to do if you are not sure where to start. This article will give you information on how to dye a silk ribbon using things around the house such as a large pot and water, as well as a trusted dye that can be purchased at any local fabric store.

You will need the following to dye silk ribbon:

1 Large pot

Hot water

Silk ribbon

RIT dye color of your choice

Plastic spoon

Step 1:
Fill the large pot with 5 cups of water and place on the stove. Add 1 packet or 4 tbsp of RIT dye to the water and stir with the plastic spoon. Turn on the heat to high and allow the water to boil.

Step 2:
Add the silk ribbon in to the dyed water and allow this to come to a rolling boil for a total of 10 minutes. A rolling boil is seen when the bubbles from the bottom of the pot 'roll' to the surface of the water. There is no time between the bubbles rising to the top, it is a constant.

Step 3:
Remove the pot from the stove and allow the water to completely cool. This can take anywhere from 15 to 25 minutes, depending on how large a pot you used.

Step 4:
Remove the ribbon from the pot of water and rinse under a cold tap until no more dye comes off freely from the ribbon. Do not scrunch or twist the ribbon, simply allow the water to run over the entirety of the ribbon and wash away the dye.

Step 5:
Lay the ribbon out flat on the table or over the sink to dry, which should take no more than 5 minutes. This allows the dye to set and then can be worn with no worries about bleeding dye.

Washing newly dyed garments can mean some of the dye will fade. To avoid this in the future, simply wash out the garment after it is completely dried from the dying process. Use the regular detergent you use to clean clothing, and wash completely and dry as normal. This would help to get rid of any remaining dyes in the garment.