Making Grey Dye

New Zealand Listener, Volume 29, Issue 731, 17 July 1953, Page 23

Making Grey Dye

Dear Aunt Daisy, I wonder if you, or any Link in the Daisy Chain, can tell me a way of mixing dye to produce a light grey. I have, an off-white, full-length overcoat which I should like to dye light grey. The dyers here tell me they do not dye this_ colour; that it is not successful, but I do not see why. "Mrs. B." (Dunedin). I put your question over to the listen- | ers, and here are two interesting replies. | 1 think the second one, especially, might | help you, if you experiment first with | pieces of similat material. ) From Mosgiel: "For the lady who wants something dyed a light grey. Here in the woollen mills, nothing is| actually dyed grey; but in the weaving — a white and blue, or white and black | yarn, is spun together, the depth of grey depending on how much white or dark blue or black is added.. The light grey has a greater amount of white than dark colour. I hope this is clear." From Riccarton: "I have dyed blankets grey for camping, with great suc- | cess. It may sound strange, and my hus- band had great misgivings when I said | I would mix ‘green’ dye and ‘red’ dye. together, for grey. For a good grey for | blankets (fairly dark), I used dark red | and dark green; but a lighter grey is. achieved with light red and medium) green, but, of course, blending ‘a little at a time’ with each colour till you get | the desired shade, is the best idea, always remembering that a wet: article looks darker than when dry, I hope this will help your listener; it is, as far. as 1 | know, the only way to get a grey dye. Black and blue, or black and white, together do not make a true grey." Best of luck, a Christchurch Listener, Walnuts Will "Walnuts," Christchurch, please send Aunt Daisy her’ address, as her letter cannot be answered in The Listener.