We are going to show you how to use fabric dye. It is really easy to do and you can create your own fabric that no one else has. So, if you are looking for a specific color, your favorite color and you cannot find it in fabric, this is the answer for you. You can even mix colors to come up with your own color that no one else could possibly have.
Our favorite brand of fabric dye is Rit. It provides a rich dark color. Most of the other brands of fabric dye do not work well with Lycra fabrics or with mesh fabrics. You just do not receive that rich color or dark color with other brands and they are a lot harder to use whereas Rit is really simple to use. But, make sure you are wearing gloves and either an apron or clothes that you do not mind getting stained because trust us, there will be one drop that will end up on your clothes and ruin them forever.
Supplies:
Dyes
Large soup or stew pot designated only for dyeing fabrics
Small bowl for dissolving powdered dye and to be designated for dyeing fabrics
Rubber gloves
Wooden spoon or other stirring utensil (designated for dyeing)
Apron or old clothes
Bleach
Directions:
Before you do anything else, check Notes to Remember in the introductory section above.
Choosing Your Materials
The materials will depend on what you are dyeing and what method you want to use.
Dyeing Techniques
There are three different dyeing methods that we use a lot.
By Machine - The first method is using your washing machine. But, that is not really possible if you have a front loading machine. So, if you have a top loading machine, you just dump the package of Rit dye into the machine. You can use either powdered Rit or liquid Rit. Fill the machine with the hottest water available and let the machine agitate for a few minutes. Because of the volume of water used in a washing machine, the color will be somewhat diluted. Consequently, you will need more dye. Of course, if you use powdered dye, make sure it is totally diluted before you add any garments or fabric to the washing machine.
Once the machine is ready, add your garments and let it agitate for approximately one minute. Stop the agitation cycle and let the machine sit for a few minutes. The longer it sits, the darker and richer the color of your garment. Periodically you can start the agitation cycle for another minute and then stop the machine and let it sit. Once you feel you have the color you want, let the machine continue through the washing process. Keep in mind that the final color may be slightly lighter than it was before the washing machine cycle are completed so you may want to leave the garment in the water a little longer.
Make sure that clean the washer as described in the Notes to Remember in the introductory section above.
Using Powdered Dye - The second method has to do with using the powdered form of Rit. Use a small bowl (one dedicated to the use of dyeing) and fill it about half way with very, very hot water. Thoroughly stir the powdered Rit into this hot water and let it dissolve. Stir the powdered dye in the water several times to make sure that all of the little granules of the dye are completely diluted. If they are not completely dissolved, you will end up with little specks of color all over the fabric or garment. Once you have accomplished that, pour that little bowl of dissolved dye either into a large soup pot or into your sink. If you use the soup pot, you can boil the water in the pot to make sure that you have hot, hot water. Remember, whether you use a sink or a soup pot, the hotter the water, the better the color you will receive. But, you also have to remember to be careful that you do not burn yourself in the hot water. This pot should be only for dyeing and not ever be used for cooking. If you do not have a pot that you can designate only for dyeing, you can fill your kitchen sink up with the hottest water possible and pour the bowl of diluted dye into the sink. If you want the sink water to be even hotter, add water that has been heated on the stove.
Using Liquid Dye - The third method, and our favorite, is the liquid Rit dye. In our demo, we are just filling the sink with the hottest water possible. It needs to be hot but not so hot that we cannot put our rubber gloved hand into the water. Otherwise, you would need to use a wooden spoon or some other utensil that is dedicated to dyeing fabrics. Shake the bottle of dye to mix it up. Pour the liquid dye into the sink, tightly put the lid back on the bottle and stir the liquid dye into the water. When it is fully mixed up, take your garment and put it into the sink. Move the garment around in the sink so that the garment is fully engulfed with the colored water. You may want to let it sit for a few minutes and then repeat the process of moving the garment around until you get the color you want. Then, squeeze the excess water and dye out of the garment and rinse the garment with cold water until the water runs clear. The cold water will stop the dyeing process and set the color. Keep in mind that when you rinse it out, the color may end up a little lighter. You may want to add some salt to the rinse. You can also steam the garment but we would not suggest using an iron. We often let it sit outside for awhile. Then, rinse the garment again and put it through the dryer and let the color heat set.
