Fabric Dyeing 101: Simple Instructions for Beautiful Fabrics

These fabric dyeing instructions show you how to create beautiful hand-dyed cotton fabrics at home. The recipes use tiny amounts of the same dyes used for tie-dyeing (Procion MX dyes) for gorgeous colors and gradations without the waste. I use my hand-dyed fabrics for sewing and quilt-making. I have compiled everything into one ebook now available.

Also see How to Dye Fabric Naturally with Plants if you want to dye fabrics using plants from your garden.

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Fabric Dyeing for Beginners

Would you like to dye your own cotton fabrics at home?

I wrote these instructions for hand-dyeing cotton fabrics at home after years of teaching fabric dyeing and running a successful online shop selling hand-dyed and hand-painted fabrics for quilters.

While quilting is one use for the fabrics, the same methods work on cotton t-shirts, tie-dyes, and fabrics for any sewing or decor project.

The dyes used are Procion MX dye: a popular, consistent synthetic dye. These are different than plant-based dyes which produce much lighter colors and values.

Although written ten years ago, fabric dyeing has not changed in this time and the content is still valuable.

I’ve included all of my tips, tricks, and recipes to create beautiful fabrics in hundreds of colors and values (gradations).

I don’t’ like wasting products so my approach uses every drop of dye without any unnecessary waste, which is both better for the environment and saves you money.

Scroll down to read more about the contents of this book.

About Fabric Dyeing 101

• I wrote these instructions as if you were with me in the studio, eager to get started in fabric dyeing, having little or no experience.
• I tell you everything you need to know to get started, from obtaining supplies to understanding how the process works, and then walking you through an actual dye session.
• I did my best to provide you with exactly what you need to know without overwhelming you with technical details yet anticipating all the questions that my students have asked me in workshops.
• If there’s a rule behind something, I like to know the rationale behind it, and that’s what I’ve provided in the book.
• There are many excellent fabric dyeing books featuring an assortment of methods and skill levels.
  What I’ve done here is provide you with the simplest, least expensive, and least wasteful way I know how to get you dyeing some fabrics of your own.
  If you love it, there’s a whole world of possibilities waiting for you.

Contents Include

• An overview of the fabric dyeing process.
• Specific step-by-step instructions with tips and tricks for getting best results.
• A walk-through of a dye recipe to guide you through your first dye session.
• Health and safety considerations.
• A complete supply list and suggestions for obtaining supplies.
• Fabric selection advice.
• Tips for maximizing supplies and minimizing waste.
• How to make mottled and solid fabrics.
• How to ensure your fabrics are wash fast.
• How to design your own fabric color sets.
• How to convert the recipes for different fabric sizes.
• Recipes for rainbows, two color blends, three color blends, gradations, deluxe blends, skin tones, and neutrals (mosses, browns, forest colors).
• Surface design instructions for fabric/sky painting and easy batiks.

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Why You Might Like to Own This Book

• This eBook is ideal both for beginners or anyone needing a refresher course without a big investment in materials.
• Learn to dye your first set of fabrics with a basic fabric dyeing or tie-dye starter kit, some 100% cotton sewing fabric, and inexpensive household supplies such as plastic beer cups and measuring spoons.
• Advanced dyers measure their dyes with a scale but I use measuring spoons with beginners because the amounts of dye used in my recipes is so small and measuring spoons are inexpensive.
  To me, the important part is making best use of materials and getting great results.
• The process is specifically designed to minimize costs and waste so it’s kind to both your pocketbook and the earth.
• The instructions are written to provide you with exactly what you need to know to become a confident and creative fabric dyer without overwhelming technical details.
• The fabrics created are suitable for sewing and quilting.
• The PDF format allows you to read it on your computer or any other device that can read a PDF file. You can also print out the PDF file as desired.

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Do Not Buy This Book If…

• You have already gobbled up the contents of my old Fabric Dyeing 101 site.
  This book is an improved version of all of the information that has appeared on my old site Fabricdyeing101.blogspot.com over the past few years.
  If you’ve already learned to dye fabric, you may not find anything particularly new here.
• If you’re hoping for a sexy coffee table book featuring gorgeous hand-dyes: this is not the book for you.
  To make the book manageable on a variety of devices, I had to keep the photos fairly small and to a minimum.
• If you’re looking for a recipe resource book with every possible color and gradation, again, this book is not for you. (There’s several like that already on the market.) The recipes in this book let you create a good sampling of colors without committing to dyeing many yards of fabric.

However

• If you’re hoping for simple instructions, sensible explanations, and a straight forward approach that doesn’t waste your money or your time (or unnecessarily pollute the planet), then you may like this book.
• But again, it’s not new material: just a very (I hope) succinctly edited revision with a variety of simplified recipes (again, previously posted on this site) to get the beginner exploring this wonderful hobby (or business). It’s packed with info for a low price.

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My Quilts

I got into hand dyeing my own fabrics because I could not find the colors I wanted at fabric shops or thrift stores.

Once I saw what gorgeous colors, values, and texture could be achieved, I was hooked.

While I did continue making quilts—all of which I have given away—my main focus for several years was exploring colors, improving methods, and running an online shop to sell the surplus.

Over time I met lots of fellow color enthusiasts who joined me for fabric dyeing classes. It was great fun to share the basics so they too could create any color or texture they wanted for their own creative projects.

~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛