How to Use Hair Gel for Dyeing Resistant Fabric

Fabrics that are resistant to dye need special dye for the dying process. Resistant fabrics usually contain synthetic fibers like nylon or polyester. Fabric resistant dye can be made from simple materials that most people have in their homes. All that is required is alcohol, hair gel and permanent markers in the preferred colors. This dye works on any fabric surface. The dye is messy, and will stain skin, as well as, fabric. This process requires no special skills.

• 1

  Put on rubber gloves. If this dye gets on your hands, it will not come off for several days.

• 2

  Pour 1/4 cup of alcohol into a cup. This makes the base for the dye.

• 3

  Remove the cap from the permanent marker, and place it in the cup with the marker tip in the alcohol. Leave the marker in the alcohol for about 2 hours. The ink goes into the alcohol. If the color is too light, leave it in the alcohol until it is the desired color.

• 4

  Pour the alcohol ink into a plastic bottle, and put on the lid. This is the dye color. Throw away the cup. Make a whole set of dye colors, and mix your own colors.

• 5

  Squirt about 1/2 cup of hair gel into a cup. Pour two teaspoons of dye into the gel, and stir it. Use the plastic spoon for measuring and mixing the dye. The dye stains anything including metal, so it ruins the spoon. If you are mixing yellow, add four teaspoons of dye because the color is light.

• 6

  Dip the paintbrush into the gel dye, and paint it on the test fabric. Let it sit on the fabric for one hour.

• 7

  Rinse the fabric in the sink. Make sure all of the gel is rinsed out. If the color looks right, use it. If it looks too light, add two more spoonfuls of the dye color to the gel dye, and retest the mixture on the fabric. If it looks too dark, add two spoonfuls of gel, and retest the mixture on the fabric.

• 8

  Mix new colors using the dye colors you make. If you get a basic set of permanent markers, it contains red, blue, yellow and black. These colors make all of your basic colors. Add a teaspoon full of yellow and blue dye colors, and make green. Add a teaspoon full of yellow and red dye colors, and make orange. Add a teaspoon full of red and blue dye colors, and make purple. Play with mixing the colors if you want other special colors.