Hand-dyed ribbons and what you can create with them
In nature, every flower has its own gradient. To replicate this in ribbon embroidery, it is best to prepare the material yourself: hand-dyed ribbons allow you to make floral designs look as realistic as possible. For comparison: on the left are hand-dyed ribbons, on the right is embroidery done with standard solid-colored ribbons.
Dyeing white satin ribbon is very simple: you will need acrylic silk paint (for example, Decola), tweezers, a glass of water, and... vodka. Don't worry, you won't have to drink it )))
Dilute the paint in any clean plastic container using vodka until you reach the desired shade. To see if the shade is right or if you need to adjust the paint further, simply test the solution on a scrap piece of ribbon. Keep in mind that the color will always be slightly paler once it dries on the fabric.
Cut the ribbon into pieces about a meter long and gather them into a bundle, tying it in the middle with a rubber band or thread. Pour vodka into a glass and thoroughly soak your ribbon bundles in it. This will wash away the chemicals used to treat the fabric during manufacturing. Blot the ribbons with paper towels – they are now ready for dyeing.
Take the ribbon bundle and dip one side into the diluted paint—for example, purple. Dye the other end with a "related" shade (for example, blue).
Place the dyed bundles on a plate along with a glass of water and put them in the microwave for a couple of minutes. The high temperature will set the color, and the glass is simply there to absorb some of the microwaves and protect the appliance.
Once dry, straighten out the ribbon – it is ready to use 😉
I find satin stitch harder to embroider than ribbons )) Although I used to think like you )) You should definitely try it, you'll love it.
The dyeing is lasting; high temperatures set it well. Some craftswomen iron the ribbons thoroughly through a cotton cloth after dyeing – this gives about the same result. You definitely shouldn't wash hand-dyed materials in hot water, but a gentle wash at 30 degrees is fine, nothing bad will happen )