How I Hand Dye

There are many books and web sites with excellent information on dyeing fabric. Most sources, however, give instructions for dyeing small quantities of quilt-weight fabric in small containers or larger quantities of one color in the washing machine. I wanted to dye larger quantities of much heavier fabric in both solids and mottled or "crinkle dyes". It has taken a lot research and even more experimentation but here's my process in a nutshell.

I use both low water immersion (LWI) and high water immersion (HWI) techniques. I usually dye four to six lengths of fabric at a time, each no longer than 3 or so yards. Even at this length, the fabric tends to twist around itself like bed sheets in my top loading washer.

All the fabric is first washed in very hot water using Synthapol or PROsapol removing all sizing, starch or soil, then machine dried. Any shrinkage occurs at this step and in subsequent washings after dyeing is complete.

When the fabric is ready to dye, I mix up one or more colors of fiber reactive dye with a small amount of water. Then I use the following techniques:

Low Water Immersion Dyeing
The goal of LWI is an uneven distribution of dye resulting in a mottled or crinkled look. This is the look that quilters crave and I wanted to have for apparel. It is achieved by using a small amount of water, hence the name Low Water Immersion.

One or more lengths of fabric are scrunched up in a plastic tub. Dye solution is added somewhat randomly. The fabric soaks in the dye solution pretty much undisturbed and the dye is distributed unevenly across the folds and wrinkles. Different effects result from whether the fabric is wet or dry when the dye is added, how tightly the fabric is scrunched, how much dye solution is used and how many colors are used.

High Water Immersion Dyeing
HWI is used to create matching solid fabrics with no uneven coloration. To accomplish consistent coloration, enough water is used so that the fabric flows freely through the water/dye mixture. While you can do HWI by hand for smaller pieces of fabric, I generally use the washing machine.

The washing machine filled with very warm water. Salt is added to the water to help drive the dye out of the water and into the fiber. Then the balance of the same dye mix used for the LWI is added. Using the same dye mix ensures that the mottles and solids match.

When the water, dye and salt in the washer are thoroughly mixed I put two or three lengths of fabric into the machine. They are set to agitate for at least 20 minutes to keep the dye flowing evenly through the fabric.

After the lengths of fabric have in the dye water long enough to create the desired shade of the solid colors, soda ash is added to fix the dye. Soda ash solution is also added to the LWI fabric.

All of the lengths are rinsed first in cold water to stop the dyeing process then at least twice in very hot water to remove unattached dye. The fabrics are then washed with detergent, again in very hot water, and rinsed until no dye shows in the water. A final rinse with a fabric softener designed for use after dyeing and the fabric is machine dried.

The entire dyeing process is fun for me. I've always liked doing laundry (I know, I know!) and seeing the final colors is always a treat. The hard part, for me, is taking good photos. And even when the colors are right, the true beauty of the fabric just doesn't come through in a picture. Think I'll have to start shooting videos of my fabrics moving in the breeze. Stay tuned!

Want to learn more? The very best online source is Paula Burch's All About Hand Dyeing. She has a wealth of experience and shares all of her knowledge.