How to Dye Hats Without Bleeding

Don't be afraid to mix "shades" of drink mix to get the ideal color.

The prospect of dyeing a hat can be a daunting one at first glance. What if the hat comes out too bright or too dark? What if it warps? What if the dye isn't colorfast and bleeds in the rain or even just in the course of normal wear? But a surprising dye medium can be used to color both felt and straw hats without fear of the color rubbing or bleeding away.

Things You'll Need

• Nail brush
• Pot large enough to hold the hat
• Powdered soft drink packets
• Glass measuring cup
• White vinegar
• Disposable chopsticks
• Disposable latex gloves
• Hat form or old newspaper
• Hair dryer
• Aerosol nail enamel drying spray or aerosol fabric waterproofing spray

Instructions

1. Clean the hat to be dyed thoroughly. For a felt hat, use a nail brush lightly dampened with warm water to scrub away any dirty spots and then brush the hat all over, inside and out with the nail brush. For a straw hat, use the same process with a dry nail brush.

2. Select packets of powdered soft drink mix in the colors desired for the dyeing. The soft drink powder is available in flavors tinted in many colors. Using stronger colors such as red (cherry), orange (orange), blue (often raspberry) and purple (grape) will yield richer colors than the more pastel tinting in flavors such as peach or strawberry.

3. Fill the pot to the halfway mark and set on the stove to simmer. Add packets of drink mix to the pot of hot water. Use at least three packets of drink mix per half gallon of water. More packets of drink mix will result in a stronger color.

4. Check the tint of the dye color by adding 1 tablespoon of the dye liquid to 1 cup of water in a glass measuring cup and stir. The resulting color will approximate the finished shade of the dye, though the intensity of the color will depend on the processing time. Adjust the color tone of the dye mixture as desired.

5. Add 1 cup of white vinegar to the dye liquid. This will help to set the dye and will enhance the color's intensity.

6. Immerse the hat in the dye, prodding the hat down with the chopsticks until it is completely submerged. It may take some time before the hat material becomes fully saturated, especially for straw hats or felt hats with acrylic fibers. Keep prodding at it with the chopsticks until the hat sinks down under the dye and stays submerged.

7. Allow the hat to simmer in the hot dye for awhile. For gentle tinting or pastel shades, 10 minutes may be long enough. For intense colors, simmer for up to 45 minutes.

8. Lift the hat out of the dye and let it drip and cool for a few minutes. For a felt hat, wring out as much of the liquid as possible back into the dye pot, then rinse the hat in cool water under a tap until the water runs clear. Wring out again until the felt is merely damp.

9. Pat the hat as dry as possible with paper towels. Set it on the hat form to dry or, if you have no hat form, ball up paper towels into tight wads and stuff the crown of the hat to keep it at the correct shape as it dries.

10. Allow the hat to dry overnight. If it's still damp after 18 hours, use a hair dryer on the hot setting to finish the drying process.

11. Spray the hat inside and out with nail enamel drying spray for a straw hat, or fabric waterproofing spray for a felt hat. This will help keep the dye from running. If you wish, you can apply several light coats of protective spray, allowing the hat to dry thoroughly between coats.

Tips & Warnings

• Some felt hats can be disassembled by removing the line of stitching that attaches the crown to the brim and then re-stitching it later. This allows you to dye each section separately.

References

• Bev's Country Cottage: Kool Aid Dyeing
• Lynn McMasters: Marine Themed Modern Sunhat
• Teacup Milliner: Recycling an Old Felt Hat