Help! Did I ruin my project?

[NicoleM]

Hello all! I’m JUST starting out & have learned so much reading in the group! I’ve found myself in need of some help! Im making a photo album (3 ring binder) for my new baby niece. I’ve spent a lot of time so far & looks like I may have ruined it with dye. I’m using 4-5 oz CRAFTSMAN VEG-TAN from Tandy & dyed with Fiebing’s Pro Dye in yellow diluted with alcohol. I was trying to get a light yellow color. I cleaned the leather with alcohol first to remove any oils. What did I do wrong? It’s dried for 24 hours & so splotchy! Can it be fixed? I had planned on dying, tankote, then painting with Angelus, then another coat of tankote. Please help! Thank you!!!

Edited July 8, 2022 by NicoleM
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[fredk]

An extreme measure; mix up a big basin of water with lots of alcohol in it. Dunk your piece in it for a while. Agitate every so often. You should see the dye staining the water after a while. When the water is quite yellow, change it for a fresh mix. After a few goes of this there will be less dye in the water. Lay your piece out to dry naturally. It should/might dry out with a more even yellow tint to it

or

start again. wet your leather before dyeing, this helps with the distribution of the dye through the leather

[Frodo]

Hi Nicole

I am not a Pro.But have learned that I do not like using a dauber on big pieces of leather

I pour my dye into a pan and dip the leather. I do not get blotches using the dip method

 

[NicoleM]

20 minutes ago, fredk said:

An extreme measure; mix up a big basin of water with lots of alcohol in it. Dunk your piece in it for a while. Agitate every so often. You should see the dye staining the water after a while. When the water is quite yellow, change it for a fresh mix. After a few goes of this there will be less dye in the water. Lay your piece out to dry naturally. It should/might dry out with a more even yellow tint to it

or

start again. wet your leather before dyeing, this helps with the distribution of the dye through the leather

Thanks so much! What kind of alcohol do you suggest? 

16 minutes ago, Frodo said:

Hi Nicole

I am not a Pro.But have learned that I do not like using a dauber on big pieces of leather

I pour my dye into a pan and dip the leather. I do not get blotches using the dip method

 

Thanks! I tried to avoid that by using the tshirt with a rubber band around it since I have had some streaking with the daubers. I’ll definitely try the dip method next time! Thanks! 

[Frodo]

4 minutes ago, NicoleM said:

Thanks so much! What kind of alcohol do you suggest? 

Thanks! I tried to avoid that by using the tshirt with a rubber band around it since I have had some streaking with the daubers. I’ll definitely try the dip method next time! Thanks! 

Oh Stop it !!   LOL  Are you tie dying shirts and dying leather at the same time?

Talk about multitasking !!!!!!!!

[NicoleM]

9 minutes ago, Frodo said:

Oh Stop it !!   LOL  Are you tie dying shirts and dying leather at the same time?

Talk about multitasking !!!!!!!!

LOL! I can't even get one task done correctly Ha! Ha!

[fredk]

22 minutes ago, NicoleM said:

Thanks so much! What kind of alcohol do you suggest? 

IPA, vodka, beer, . . . . but not wine, unless you want it red

+ 1 on the dipping to dye

[NicoleM]

1 minute ago, fredk said:

IPA, vodka, beer, . . . . but not wine, unless you want it red

+ 1 on the dipping to dye

LOL!

[MtlBiker]

3 minutes ago, fredk said:

IPA, vodka, beer, . . . . but not wine, unless you want it red

+ 1 on the dipping to dye

I too was going to suggest vodka, or my favorite, London Dry Gin. 

Preferably in a Martini.  Have enough of those and you don't care if the dye job is blotchy.

Edited July 8, 2022 by MtlBiker

[fredk]