Fabric preparation. If you've not dyed the fabric you plan on using before and don't really wish to be afraid of getting displeasing results you may need to prewash i.e. Scour the fabric first. Some fabrics are treated with finishes that can make it hard for the dye to penetrate the fibers. I have dyed dozens of yards of fabric just about always using standard white or unbleached quilter's cotton and have never had a difficulty. If you find the fabric label PDF meaning prepared for dyeing, you know you will have the right fabric to use.
Using fabrics that are prepared for dyeing is the number one place to begin. Scouring fabric in the washing machine uses one washer and enough dryer cycles for the fabric to be dry or you can air dry the fabric. Use one large spoon of New Dawn liquid dishwashing detergent or similar product OR one small spoon of Synthropol and an optional teaspoon of soda ash per 1-2 yards of fabric. Open up the fabric absolutely to be sure the soap can absolutely penetrate it. This soap removes any sizing that has been added or finishes in the fabric that will hold back the dyes.
Then decide what size pieces of fabric you would like for the fabric dyes finished projects you want to use your dyed fabrics in. That might be for applique, pieced quilting or for quilted garments. The piece size before dyeing will give you what you need to start the project. I typically make garments so I use 1 yard pieces in a five range gradation from dark to light. Same colors of dye in more to less color saturation. I find this quite satisfying for my one-of-a-kind line of garments.
Then the various mixtures of the color intensities can be put together based mostly on the project being working on and what it has to be the most satisfying in the design elements on the resulting jacket. On occasion I use 2 yard pieces if I want the completed garment to be another longer length but have found over the time I have been dyeing the fabric for my clothing usually the 1 yard pieces most often are the simplest to dye and work with and work best for my one-of-a-kind jacket styles.
When I do rag weaving I use the 1 yard pieces and cut the fabric into narrow strips that I'm able to then weave with to create the final fabric that I cut up and stitch together. It creates a gorgeous fabric that's comfortable to wear in addition to being lovely. Because the original fabric has been washed in the dyeing process it also makes these rag woven garments easy to care for when cleaning is needed.
Using fabrics that are prepared for dyeing is the number one place to begin. Scouring fabric in the washing machine uses one washer and enough dryer cycles for the fabric to be dry or you can air dry the fabric. Use one large spoon of New Dawn liquid dishwashing detergent or similar product OR one small spoon of Synthropol and an optional teaspoon of soda ash per 1-2 yards of fabric. Open up the fabric absolutely to be sure the soap can absolutely penetrate it. This soap removes any sizing that has been added or finishes in the fabric that will hold back the dyes.
Then decide what size pieces of fabric you would like for the fabric dyes finished projects you want to use your dyed fabrics in. That might be for applique, pieced quilting or for quilted garments. The piece size before dyeing will give you what you need to start the project. I typically make garments so I use 1 yard pieces in a five range gradation from dark to light. Same colors of dye in more to less color saturation. I find this quite satisfying for my one-of-a-kind line of garments.
Then the various mixtures of the color intensities can be put together based mostly on the project being working on and what it has to be the most satisfying in the design elements on the resulting jacket. On occasion I use 2 yard pieces if I want the completed garment to be another longer length but have found over the time I have been dyeing the fabric for my clothing usually the 1 yard pieces most often are the simplest to dye and work with and work best for my one-of-a-kind jacket styles.
When I do rag weaving I use the 1 yard pieces and cut the fabric into narrow strips that I'm able to then weave with to create the final fabric that I cut up and stitch together. It creates a gorgeous fabric that's comfortable to wear in addition to being lovely. Because the original fabric has been washed in the dyeing process it also makes these rag woven garments easy to care for when cleaning is needed.
About the Author:
Marjorie is a clothing designer who specializes in creating recipes for and in dyeing fabrics for her lines of ready-to-wear. She dyes fabric for quilted garments, regular garments and rag woven garments. She is an expert in how to dye cotton fabric.