hand-dyed blanket #1

hand-dyed blanket #1

  When I see white fabric, I can't help but imagine what I could do with it.  Dyeing fabric can be pretty scary, because you only really get one chance to add color and hope it turns out the way you picture in your mind.  
For those of us that are a little OCD, its can be hard to relax and let the fabric do its thing.  Just keep reminding yourself that it's fun to be surprised by the end product.  And in reality, I've never had a dye project turn out in a disappointing way; it may just be a little interesting.

 

Supplies: 

•  Fabric 
• (Its best to choose 100% cotton. Keep in mind that different dyes and fabric paints will work for different fabrics)
• Dye / Fabric paint
• (I used fabric paint, so when diluted in water it becomes like a dye.  But these will not create colors as vibrant as a dye would.)
• Squirt bottle
• You can also brush the dyes on, drip them on etc. Squirt bottles are the easiest.
• Gloves & Apron
• Optional:
• Rock Salt: absorbs color and can create a cool effect
• Leaves or other cool shaped objects: If the dyed fabric is laying in the sun, objects that are placed on the fabric can leave a print.

  Step 1:

Mix the desired colors.  I wanted a plum color, so I added a small amount of red to the violet.  This is the color I wanted to have the most of and it was the color in between the two extremes (dark purple and yellow), so I began with this one.

Mix the dye with water and put into the water bottle.  (I mixed approximately 1 part dye to 4 parts water).

 

Wet the fabric (This is not always necessary.  I wanted the fabric to be extra wet so the color would travel to the lowest point and the higher points of the textured fabric would be lighter).

Step 2:

Lay out the fabric.  On a lawn would be the best; otherwise lots of trash bags will be needed.  You could always use your garage floor and have a much more colorful floor!

When laying out the fabric you can also pinch parts or create other textures that will affect the movement of the dyes; for example, folding the fabric like an accordion will create stripes.

Since this fabric already had texture, I laid it out flat.

Step 3:

Start spraying the fabric with the squirt bottle.  The first color went mostly in the middle, leaving the sides for the next colors.

I also flung blobs of color to create splotches.

Next, mix the other two colors and spray the sides.  Spray large amounts right on the edge and fade towards the middle.

Let the dye sit for a while.  If it starts drying, I like to spray it with more water.  This will give the dye a chance to move around and do it's thing.  

After a bit I like to spray more of the extreme colors to darken them after they move towards the middle. 

Do not worry about the fading effect, the fabric will take care of that!

Step 4:

After the fabric is mostly dry it's time to rinse.

Sometimes I use a product that is supposed to stop the running of the dye.  This is diluted in water and then the fabric is dunked in for about a minute.  Im not sure how well this works.

Rinse the fabric in water until the water runs clear. Then squeeze dry. 

I like to let it dry once more before placing it int the washing machine.

That's all! 

It's easy to get hooked.  You'll want to keep trying different techniques, different colors to mix etc. Don't dye your hands or clothes and Have Fun!