I saved a parasol (and a lot of money)!!!

This has nothing to do with knitting but a whole lot to do with dyeing!

My red parasol became pink over the years, pink and streaky... Red is a very finicky colour, red pigments aren't stable and they're prone to discolouration. But, my patio furniture is red and I want a red parasol!

You have to know that this is a very nice parasol, I paid good money for it and the fabric was in very good condition. The sun had only bleached it. I didn't want to just throw it out ( I hate wasting good stuff).

Since I felt I had nothing to loose, I took the fabric off (very easy), washed it thoroughly and soaked it in a steaming hot bath of red Tintex dye for over an hour, even though the instructions say 30 minutes.. Since the parasol is large, I used 3 packets. I then rinsed and rinsed and rinsed. I put it back up on the frame while it was still damp.

Well, I was a bit scared that the dye wouldn't take since the fabric has polyester in it... But the results are phenomenal! The parasol looks brand new! No more streaks!

Now, I won't mind when it begins to fade, I'll simply over dye it again! :-)