I've done all kinds of overdying for theatre to tone things down. It
really depends on which way you want the color to go. Grey is not
always the best choice, as it really dulls things out. Tan and ecru
will take the color in a warmer direction, but it depends on the
characteristics of those colors in the dye you use.
Sometimes what we do is use a tiny bit of the complementary
color--overdye a really bright green with some red or pink. This takes
down the intensity of the color without greying it out. If you use a
lot, of course, it will turn some shade of brown. Not knowing what sort
of dye you'll be using, I can't recommend a proportion. The only thing
I can suggest in general is to use less than you think you'll need, and
if it isn't enough, do it again. You can always add more, but as
someone pointed out, it's hard to take it out again.
Someone also suggested using color/dye remover. You could try this--its
efficacy will depend on what sort of dye you used in the first place.
And you'll have to have a big enough pot to do it on the stove, as it
requires heat. And it STINKS to high heaven. The result (if it works)
will be a pastel version of the color you currently have.
You don't say what your process has been thus far, but if you do have a
big enough pot to do these (even one at a time) on the stove with an
adding-dye method, it will really help your color control. Washing
machine dyeing takes a lot of time and water, and you can't really see
what's happening until it's over. I find it frustrating for trying to
adjust things. With a pot on the stove, you can do a bit of a dye,
rinse, wring out and iron a corner to see what color you've got, then do
a bit more if it wasn't enough the first time.
Good luck,
Melanie Schuessler
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