New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-20
ARTISTIC DYEING
One Woman Has FOund Much
Profit an This Work.

In the present stage of the worlds his
tory when so many women are thrown on
their own resources without any special
training to aid them in gaining a livelihood,
/ it is inevitable that they should seek to
turn the knowledge gained I'm the domestic
sphere TO financial account. and wonderful
is the ingenuity that is often displayed I'm
this way. One woman supported a family
and sent some OF IT'S members to college on
corned beef hash, disposed OF through the
medium Of won1an's exchange. Another
! is getting an income from doughnuts, and
cakes, candies and canned things have sup
ported hundreds. Taste in dress is one OF
the most available Of assets. and can be
, utilized in a hundred ways. as numerous
successful businesses presided over by wom-
! en- testify. One woman with a talent for
dressing herself exqusitely on an income
that would have spelled dowdiness for most
people found salvation in it when the double
cataclysm of widowhood and financial ruin
overlook her She had always been accus-
toned to dye her old dresses, trimmings.
curtains, etc, as occasion required, ana
her results were so satisfactory that she
gradually branched out a bit dyeing some
article now and then for a friend.
Finally, she showed some of her work to
| a leading dressmaker. who was 50 delighted
at finding some ore who would take small
amounts as well as large, and who could
be depended upon FOR absolute fidelity OF
tone in matching or harmon!z!ng trimmings
that she gave her more ana more TO do.
Most professional dyers do not like to be
bothered with a small bit of material. nor
are they always TO be trusted to obtain
exactly the color required. So il Is that the
widow does all Of the dyeing for two big
dressmaking firms, and the head designers
swear that they could not do without her.
MANY Of the new shades are 50 diff
! cult to match" they complain, land the
right effect cannot he obtained without
complete harmony Of detail, 50 we usual
" have TO call upon Mrs. w. first or last.
She never fails U.S."
For success in this work, says the wild
ow. "a knowledge Of the blending and
mixing Of colors to produce certain shades
| is very necessary Usually the dyes come
! in Just the ordinary tints and the desired
tone can only be had by the mnsling, of
these primary colors. As an example,
piece Of fringe for a pinkviolet dress came
out a blue-violet, maddenngly near the
. correct tone, but Just tHOusH o4l w spun
! the effect sought. Some of the dye was
] again dissolved. and a bit Of orange add
/ ed. The color came as If by magic.
! dull blue was gained by adding slate
| grey to bright blue, and a satisfactory
! green by mixing blue and yellow in the
! right proportion.
| These are things which every artist
/ knows. but which come to the uniniuated
/ only by experience. Fortunately there are
now dyes on the market which color all
/ materials alike, whether they be silk cot
/ ton or wool. without the old trouble OF
using different dyes for different cloths.
/ The cold water dyes are very easily
! handled and are satisfactory. or course
/ small pieces OF the material should always
! he tried first, Il being remembered mat
| the fabric looks darker while still moist.
! Certain houses make a color discharge so
| that the dye may be removed from piece
! OF cloth and so much thought need not be
expended on the color-on-color comblna-
| tons.
with this fundamental working kno"I-
edge Of tone harmony any gown may he
matched IN trimming. Laces. feathers
buttons. braids and velvets alike so into
the vat. There is joy in such work for
the woman who understands #, which is
more than the wage. after all