the rotating roll 14 a film of base color liquid dye is introduced onto the doctor blade 16 and flows initially uniformly downwardly thereover to fall from the lower edge 24 thereof onto the carpet web 18 while a rotating dye pickup roll 12 is illustrated it will be appreciated that other means may be provided for introducing liquid dye of a base color onto the distributing plate 16 such as a liquid spraying arrangement near the upper edge of the plate 16 it will be appreciated that fig1 is highly schematic in order to illustrate the essential concepts of the invention and that a number of structural elements such as side supports are for clarity of illustration omitted from the drawing for example a support bearing and rotating drive mechanism are required for the pick up roll 14 these are of conventional construction and are not shown similarly a horizontal pivot support and spring are required to urge the doctor blade upper edge 22 against the pick up roll 14 these likewise are of conventional construction and are not shown it will further be appreciated that the proportions of the applicator are greatly distorted by the break in the center representing omitted structure identical to that which is shown a typical width for the applicator 10 is twelve or fifteen feet to suit the width of the carpet web 18 and the applicator 10 may be two or three feet in height although not illustrated in fig1 it will be appreciated that a conventional.