Gi update

Just a little update on the gi collection and how the dyeing process has held up. To date I have 13 gis; the ones I dyed myself are marked with a *...

pink Golden Tiger
magenta Atama (the Kyra Gracie, F2)
coral pink Keiko Raca *
purple Golden Tiger
green Hsu
baby blue Gameness Pearl *
peach Keiko Raca kids' M4 *
yellow Helio Soneca (unbranded, from his seminar) *
mallard blue Fuji
white Atama F3
white Atama Mundial #7
white Lucky
white Atama summerweight

I also dyed a friend's gi bright red, and plan on doing one for another in red soon.

The gis I dyed (using the Procion MX dye from Dharma Trading Company) have all stood the test of time very well. I faded the coral pink one a bit (had to put some bleach in the wash to eradicate a particularly stinky opponent) but the rest are unfaded despite occasional bleaching. I have noticed slight variation in color intensity, but only if I'm really looking for it. The color doesn't bleed in the wash, even the bright red, thanks to the superior chemistry of the fixative process.

I still haven't tiedyed a gi, durnit. For one thing, the gi pants I bought on Ebay for $.99 (to practice tiedyeing with) have become my favorite ever so I don't want to mess them up. FYI, for apple-bottomed grapplers out there, they're Krugan's; even though they're A1 and appropriately sized length-wise, they have plenty of room in the rear for my rear, which says a lot. And maybe because the pants were old enough that their former owner sold them rather than patch the knee, the fabric is heavenly soft. Still plenty strong though-- for $5 I had the knee repaired and patched with my school patch, so they rock on.

For another, I found a place that will tiedye your gi for you (or sell you one which they dye) to your specifications. Check out Happy Kimonos here. I'm pretty tempted to go that route... it would be simpler for sure. I'll keep you posted!

As for fit... I tend to prefer the Atama female-fit gis, the Mundial #7, and the Hsu, with the Krugans pants for nogi. The one I dyed yellow, a no-name I got at a Helio Soneca seminar, was sooooo big in the jacket that I'm having it altered. The Golden Tigers are still feeling a little big in the jacket too-- might get the front lopped off a bit so it doesn't dangle in front of my thighs so much.