Jacquard Basic Dye

The perfect dye for hard-to-dye substrates. Developed for dyeing acrylic, these dyes can also be used on wood, reed, pine needles, straw, paper, leather and more! Use them for potpourri, wigs, buttons, bone, shell - the list is endless. You can mix them with alcohol and use them like a paint too. This dye colors acrylic fabrics and yarns where most dyes won't. The color is much more intense on acrylics than the disperse dyes, which were developed for polyester. This is the same dye that was in Jacquard's discontinued line of Wood and Reed Dyes.

They are intensely bright, beautiful and easy-to-use, although they require a lot of heat. In fact, basic dyes may be used to color a variety of fibers (including silk and wool), but because they tend to have poor light- and washfastness ratings on anything other than acrylic, they are generally only used when other dyes (such as acid dyes or fiber reactive dyes) are not an option. They are more lightfast on Acrylic, which they were developed for. They are positively brilliant on wood! Not so hot on cotton and other cellulose fabrics for which Procion Fiber Reactive type dyes are best.

**IMPORTANT! - Handle these dyes with a little more care and caution than any other dyes, as they will stain ALMOST ANYTHING, including plastic! And of course, just like with all powders, wear a dust mask or respirator when handling powders, good water proof gloves, and keep them out of reach of children and pets! Do not use in areas where you prepare food, and do not use with your food preparation utensils, pots, etc. Clean up spills immediately. Do not use these dyes on anything (like wood) that will be used for serving food or anything that will be played with and possibly chewed on by infants, children or pets. Also, be aware that the dyes do not form a strong bond with acrylic clothing the way Fiber Reactive dyes do to cotton clothing, and can sometimes cause allergic reactions of those wearing the clothing. 

Basic Dye Instructions

**IMPORTANT! - Handle these dyes with more caution than any other dyes, wear a respirator when handling powders, good water proof gloves, and keep them out of reach of children and pets! Do not use in areas where you prepare food, and do not use with your food preparation utensils, pots, etc. Many recommend mixing the powders in a "glove box" so that the powders don't get scattered around your work space. Clean up spills immediately. Keep in mind too that these dyes will stain almost everything, including plastic, so, again, handle with care, and protect your work space.

Do not use these dyes on anything (like wood) that will be used for serving food or anything that will be played with by infants or children. The dyes do not form a strong bond with acrylic clothing the way Fiber Reactive dyes do to cotton clothing, and can sometimes cause allergic reactions of those wearing the clothing.

Dyeing Acrylic

• Weigh your materials
• Use 1-3% dye based on the total weight of materials, for Black and Brown, use up to 5%
• Prepare your dye pot - before adding materials
• Fill your pot (measuring as you go) with just enough hot tap water to cover the acrylic
• Add the dye and stir until completely dissolved
• Add ½ cup vinegar per gallon of liquid and stir
• Add your acrylic and stir
• Bring mixture to a boil while stirring frequently. When it gets to the right temperature, this dye strikes very fast, and you can get uneven results if you don't stir enough during this phase. Let it boil for 1 hour, stirring occasionally to ensure even dyeing
• Remove acrylic and rinse in warm water

Dyeing Wood and Reeds

• Weigh your materials
• Use 1-3% dye based on the total weight of materials, for Black and Brown, use up to 5%
• Prepare your dye pot - before adding materials
• Fill your pot (measuring as you go) with just enough hot tap water to cover the wood/reed
• Add the dye and stir until completely dissolved
• Add ½ cup vinegar per gallon of liquid and stir
• Add your wood/reed materials
• Let sit for 10-20 minutes, stirring often
• Remove wood/reed and rinse in cold water

To create a paintable mixture that will not damage wood or leather, add approx. ½ TBS dye to 1 cup denatured alcohol or solvent. Apply multiple coats until desired shade is reached. Rinse with water or alcohol.