Ready
Ok, so now you have everything you need to start dyeing. But, where do you start?
First, you need to prepare your fabric. For your first experiment, let's go easy and do a simple primary/secondary color wheel experiment. You will need 6 baggies, and 3.0 yards of fabric (add approximately 6" extra to accomodate shrinkage). Wash the fabric with 1 capful of Synthrapol on gentle cycle, in hot water. You do not need to dry the fabric.
Now, you will need to tear the fabric into fat-quarters. Using a large ruler or yard stick, measure the fabric at 19" segments and put a 1" snip into the fabric. You should have 5 snips. Now, go back and tear the fabric across the grain at each of the snips. You will now have 6 segments that are 19" x WOF (width of fabric). Now, fold each section in half widthwise, and snip, then tear into 19" x 1/2WOF sections. You should now have 12 fat quarters sections of fabric. Set your fabric aside for now. In a clean place! You don't want to get anything on it at this point.
Set
Now, let's set up your activator solution and your dye stock.
- Put on your rubber gloves
- Use your large gallon container and long handled mixing spoon
- Pour in 1 cup of Soda Ash
- Pour in 1/2 cup of non-iodized salt
- Fill container with lukewarm to warm water
- Mix until well dissolved
- Pour 2 cups of this solution into each of the baggies.
- Set the baggies inside your holding container
Create your dye color stocks:
- You're still wearing your rubber gloves right?
- Put on your chemical/dust mask
- Use a damp paper towel or scrap muslin to protect your work surface
- Set up your 6 solo cups
- Measure 2 teaspoons of the blue dye into 1 solo cup
- Measure 1 cup of warm water, and pour a small amount into the cup.
- Using your mixing stick, *slowly* mix the dye solution and water until it is of a nice consistency.
- Add the remaining 1 cup of water and mix thoroughly. Set this aside for now.
- Repeat the steps above to mix the red and yellow solutions.
- Once you have mixed your powders successfully, you may remove your dust mask.
- Measure 4 Tablespoons of each primary dye solution into each of 3 baggies
- Mix the dye solution for the remaining three baggies:
- Measure 2 Tablespoons of the blue solution into 1 solo cup, add 2 Tablespoons of yellow dye solution. Swirl to stir. Pour this solution into one of the remaining 3 baggies.
- Measure 2 Tablespoons of the blue solution into 1 solo cup, add 2 Tablespoons of the red solution. Swirl to stir. Pour this solution into one of the remaining 2 baggies.
- Measure 2 Tablespoons of the red dye solution into the last solo cup, and add 2 Tablespoons of yellow dye solution. Swirl to stir. Pour this solution into the last remaining baggie.
Read All About Color and Dyeing at QuiltPox.com
Go
- Rinse your rubber gloves off (you are still wearing them right?) so that you don't transfer any dyes to your fabric. Now is also a good time to clean up any lose particles that may have floated to your work surface.
- Loosely scrunch 2 fat quarters and put them into each of the baggies. Squoosh the fabric into the dye solution. The more you squeeze and squoosh in this step, the less mottled your fabric will be. Make sure the fabric is completely submerged. Then, squeezing as much excess air out of the baggie as you can, seal the baggie.
- Repeat the step above for the remaining baggies.
Wait
This is the *hardest* part of the whole process, really. The waiting. You are going to be so anxious to see what it looks like, but you really must wait. The longer, the better. Wait a minimum of 4 hours, and you can begin rinsing out. But, for deeper dye saturation, wait 24 hours.
Once the allotted time has passed, (yea, I know you didn't wait 24 hours did you?) begin rinsing out the baggies. Since the blue takes the longest, start with the red baggies. Pour out the baggie into your sink. Squeeze out as much dye as you can, and rinse the baggie. Set the baggie aside to dry. Now, rinse the fabric several times to get as much excess dye out as you can. (I usually fill water up to just above fabric surface, squoosh fabric around a bit, then squeeze out, refill, let sit 5 minutes, then repeat. Generally, 2-3 rinses by hand is sufficient.)
Set aside the red fabric and repeat the process for the orange and yellow fabrics. You should be able to safely wash the yellow if you rinsed the red well, but if you are worried, then wash the red seperately.
Wash on HOT temperature and gentle cycle using 2 capfuls of Synthrapol. Set your wash level for the largest load. Listen for the rinse cycle to start, and look at the rinse water. If you still see a great deal of dye (most likely), put it through a 2nd wash cycle. This time you can use warm water and 1 teaspoon of synthrapol. Add a white cloth or old sock to the wash this time. If the sock remains white after the rinse cycle, you are done and can go to the dryer. If not, do yet another wash cycle, or if you can set your machine just for rinse, do that. (I generally find that if you rinse well at sink, then 2 wash cycles, a long one, then short one, are sufficient.)
Repeat the rinsing and washing process for the remainder baggies. Rinse and clean off all of your equipment and put it away. You do not want a household member to accidentally use your dye utensils for food!
You can now remove your rubber gloves. *grin*
Iron and enjoy your fabric. See how mottled the fabric is? Do you like the colors? Make a journal using a composition book of your dye trip if desired. Note the quantities of dyes used, duration of dye setting, and snip a small swatch and glue it in the book. (Optional)
Notes: Most of the information here has come from my own experiences. However, I would like to thank CrystalGrif1, Pam29011, and Kehl2 for their constant support and suggestions in our dyeing efforts on the Quilting Passion forum. Some good book options, but I haven't read yet, are:
These books are on my wish list, have you put them on yours? Back To QuiltPox.com
Color By Accident by Ann JohnstonColor Wheel Fabric Dyeing by Katy Jane Widger
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