Dyeing by Weight Vs. Volume 2: Weighing Different Color Dyes Using the Same Measuring Spoon

This time, I (Diane) wanted to see if one teaspoon of 5 different colors of dye weighed the same. For this experiment, I used the same measuring spoon, a one teaspoon measure, for each color of dye. In between measuring the different colors of dye powder, I washed and dried the spoon.

My guess was that the dyes would not weigh the same since I know that dye powders are mixed with inert fillers by dye supply houses. Each batch of dye powder is mixed differently depending on the source and nature of the original dye. Dye suppliers always sell the exact weight of dye that they say is in the jar but that weight of dye can also be mixed with other things. This is why you may buy a 2 ounce jar of a fuchsia dye, for example, and have it come in a small container one time and a larger one another time.

The colors I chose to weigh were mostly from PROChemical and Dye, one of the three major dye suppliers in the U.S. I chose Green 700 (a mixed color), Lemon Yellow 114, Fuchsia 308 and Basic Blue 400. The yellow, fuchsia and blue dyes are pure, unmixed colors. I also used one dye from Dharma Trading Company, Brown 35. This is a mixed color.

Here I have measured a spoonful of the yellow dye powder and am about to level it with a knife before weighing it.

I will weigh that dye powder in a dye boat. Below is a picture of the dye boat on the scale. I have tared the scale to zero so that I will get only the weight of the dye.

Next is a picture of the weighed dye.

I will do the same thing with the other 4 colors of dye.

The following table shows the weight of 1 teaspoon of each color of dye powder.

Dye Color	Weight of Dye
Green 700	3.8 grams
Brown 35	4.4 grams
Lemon Yellow 114	4.2 grams
Fuchsia 308	4.8 grams
Basic Blue 400	4.9 grams

You can see that the weight of the different dyes varies considerably. The heaviest dye, Basic Blue, weighs 1.1 grams more than the lightest dye, Green 700.

So what does this experiment show? First, it indicates that dyeing by volume is not nearly as accurate as dyeing by weight. A teaspoon of one color of dye is not the same as a teaspoon of another color even if you use the same teaspoon and fill it exactly the same. This means that in some cases you will be using more dye than you need and in other cases you may be using less.

If you use more dye than you actually need for the weight of the cloth that you’re dyeing, you will be wasting dye and spending more time and money on the wash out than if you used the proper amount of dye. You may also get a darker color than you wanted. If you use less dye, the color you get may be lighter than you wanted.

In my next, and last post on this subject, I will show you the difference in the dyed cloth when you dye by volume versus weight. I’ll also explain how to calculate the amount of dye you actually need to use for a given weight of fabric and desired depth of shade.

Remember to add a comment if you want to be entered into the drawing for a free copy of Dyeing Alchemy.