Dye is not a Girl’s Best Friend

After & before of our curtains.

The speckles on the blue panel are not caused by paint malfunction

or camera issues.

Kristal added a special effect to her paint, but isn't inclined to share what it is.

When we bought our 1979 Airstream, it was our hope that we could save as much original stuff as possible. The curtains certainly fell into that category. Like many things on vintage trailers, they aren’t inexpensive to replace, whether custom-made or ordered from a specialty vendor. (In the case of Airstreams, you can still get items from the trailer manufacturer, although the vintage of your trailer may eliminate them as a source for parts. But the makers of many vintage trailers went out of business a long time ago.)

Kristal does sew, but didn’t relish the notion of making reproductions of our curtains. Granted, the old curtains could have been dismantled and used as patterns. But the whole process would have been labor intensive. The original curtains are lined, with pleats on both the top and bottom. A lot of measuring and marking would have been needed to properly space the pleats, not to mention putting all the tabs/G-guides on. (Airstream curtains are mounted over the windows with metal tracks above and below.)

Our curtains weren’t in terrible condition. There is a small amount of fraying on two of them, and a few G-glides were missing here and there. Other than needing a good cleaning, there was only one major problem with them. Kristal didn’t care for their 1970s “natural” white color. Usually, when one thinks of changing a fabric color, dye is the first thing you reach for. We’re going on the record to tell you, “Don’t waste your money on dye.” It won’t work. (Kristal knows because she tried it first on a couple of panels.)

Here’s the problem with dye and original curtains in an older Airstream. In order for any kind of dye to work, you really need to know the fiber content. Kristal couldn’t find a label on any of the panels. Without that information it’s virtually impossible to get the results you want, though she did her best to make an educated guess. Plant fibers such as cotton require a different mordant than animal fibers like wool. Synthetic fibers are a different critter altogether. Other than i-Dye Poly (for polyester), she doesn’t know of any dyes available to the DIYer formulated to work on them. She tried RIT dye using the directions for cotton, and i-Dye Poly. Neither gave her the dark, saturated color she wanted even though she purchased dark hues. There were also spots where the dye didn’t take very well. It’s possible the fabric had been chemically treated, and even though she washed the curtains before doing anything with them, it didn’t wash out enough to make dying a satisfying venture.

To be honest, if you want good results with dye, you pretty much have to purchase the stuff designed for professionals or fiber artists. Then you need a scale to get an accurate weight of your fabric, plus the various chemicals needed to make your dye work properly. There will be other equipment, too; such as a dedicated dye vat, large non-reactive spoons, tongs etc. Don’t forget protective eye wear, gloves and coverings for your clothing. The cost of all these items add up, meaning it’s not the most economical option.

“OK, if dye is a waste of my time, what’s the solution?” We can hear some asking. Well, that would be fabric paint, because the technical complexity required by dye is removed. You will need at least 2-3 gallons worth. (Yes, you read that correctly.) How much you’re actually going to need will depend on how many panels are being  painted, desired intensity of color, and if you’re doing a solid or pattern . Our trailer was actually missing 3 curtain panels from the living area that covered the curb-side picture window and 2 street-side windows. However, there were still 7 panels left; 2 over the front windows and 5 in the bedroom. Kristal wanted the final color to be dark blue, and since she knew the paint would bleed thru to the lining side anyway, she added both sides of the curtains in her yardage calculations to determine amount of paint needed.

We are not always going to recommend specific products on this blog, but if we do, it’s not because we’re being paid to do so. Kristal has a definite favorite when it comes to fabric paints. She prefers Jacquard products. They have at least 3 different paints – Lumiere (multi-purpose pearls and metallics), Neopaque and Textile Color. Kristal used Textile Color, and at this time knows of only 2 venders who sell it in the gallon size, and it’s not available in brick & mortar stores. They are Dharma Trading and Jerry’s Artarama. Where you get the best deal will be determined by different factors. One of those is shipping. Gallon-size jars of paint are drop-shipped from the manufacturer, and it’s not cheap. If someone is offering free shipping on orders over a certain amount that’s your time to pounce. It’s also a good idea to take advantage of discounts offered to new customers who sign up for email notices. If you can combine the two, a significant amount of money could be saved. Please be aware that Jerry’s Artarama requires a minimum of 2 gallons for an order. But with the right offers, your paint could become very affordable.

Here are the reasons Kristal opted for fabric paint.

1       

      Suitable for any type of fabric. The need to know fiber content was eliminated.

2    There is a decent-sized pallet of colors available, and paints can be blended to create new colors. They can also be diluted with water.

3  

      Jacquard paints are heat-set to make them permanent. After heat-setting the paint is also softened considerably. The fabric doesn’t feel like it’s painted.

How you apply your paint will be a matter of experimentation and personal preference. It is a messy process that takes time no matter how you choose to do it. According to Jacquard, Textile Color can be diluted without diminishing the color’s strength, making it possible to treat the medium like a dye bath. Just bear in mind you’re coloring curtain panels that have more than a yard of fabric in them. (Double the amount, if lined.)  You will need a container big enough to hold paint for your panels, plus room for displacement of the liquid. When removing the curtains from the paint bath, you will want to recapture as much excess liquid as possible. Otherwise, you may not have enough product to finish your project. The panels will also need some place to hang and air-dry, regardless of paint application process. It’s not recommended to heat-set until the paint is dry.

Kristal didn’t want to dilute her paint since some of her curtains were no longer off-white. She set up her work space in the second bathroom shower. Our children are grown, so it’s a space she could use for a while without inconveniencing anyone. An inexpensive tension shower curtain rod was set up over the bath tub, and the curtains were draped over it while she painted them. To minimize as much mess as possible a large plastic storage tub was placed under the curtains. (We had one with a large crack in the side. Since it was going to be thrown out any way, there was no guilt or clean-up necessary afterwards.) The tub not only provided protection from drips. Kristal used a spray bottle and old rubber cleaning  gloves to apply the paint. The plastic tub provided a place to refill the spray bottle. It also held the gallon jars of paint after they were opened. The plastic tub captured at least 85% of the mess. Though she was doing her best to be tidy, Kristal will be the first to admit that paint is her nemesis. The good news? This product does wash off hard surfaces with cold water.

Someone may be scratching their head, wondering about the spray bottle and rubber gloves. Kristal’s customization of our curtains became an epic finger painting project. She did try using a large sponge brush but found the paint didn’t go nearly as far. It also took longer. Textile Color has a consistency which is almost gel-like, making it spray bottle friendly. However, in undiluted form, it lands on the fabric in large splats requiring another method to spread it about. Those splats also necessitate developing a method for holding the fabric at an angle while spraying. Otherwise, some paint might ricochet elsewhere. The advantages a spray bottle offers? It does get the paint a lot closer to the end target in a much neater fashion than dipping a hand into a gallon of paint. You can also put the nozzle between the pleats, making paint delivery much easier in tight spots. (Unless you have a large surface where you can lay your curtains flat, this kind of painting is a two-handed process. One hand behind the curtain for support while the other works the paint into the fabric.)

For larger projects, heat-setting is easiest to accomplish in the dryer. Use the hottest setting available. Our dryer is more than 17 years old, so Kristal wasn’t worried about discolorization of the drum. Paint left behind to stain something else shouldn’t be an issue when it’s completely dry. If you have a fancy new dryer with a flat drying rack, you could probably use it provided your curtain panels aren’t too large for it. A steam feature would be useful too. Sadly, dryers didn’t come with that option when we bought ours. An old hand towel was wet down and put into the dryer with the curtains. Use timed drying. Thirty to forty minutes is enough.

Kristal will be the first to acknowledge this isn’t a project for everyone. For one thing, most of us have different definitions of “practical”. Saving and painting our curtains made sense to her, though it wasn’t “cheap” and was a bit tedious. It was still considerably less than paying for custom curtains, and didn’t require thinking too hard. Making them what she wanted eliminated the necessity of disposal, too.

Renovating a vintage RV is a once-in-a-lifetime project for many who attempt it. Don’t be afraid to try ideas that seem crazy. Fabric paint fell into the “crazy” category when Kristal first considered it. Until this point, any projects including it were for embellishment. They certainly didn’t involve such a large quantity. When the first option didn’t work, she kept finding herself coming back to the paint. Thanks to a small bottle of the product, which happened to be in her project stash, she was able to do some tests on a dyed panel and an original. They tipped the decision. Being able to try things on a small scale might not be possible for all projects, though. Find your courage and make a leap of faith!