These dyes come in powder or liquid form, and either one will work just fine.
Don’t use fabric softener.
Also, read the back of your dye package to make sure you get the concentration correct. For instance, Rit dye is often one packet to 3 gallons (11 l) of water. However, you can use more or less water depending on how concentrated you want the color.
Unless you’re dyeing something very large, use the lowest load size on your machine.
You add water to the bottle to make sure you’re getting all the dye and to ensure the chute is rinsed out completely.
For instance, you can get light pink from avocado skin and seeds. Cherries or strawberries will also dye something pink. Blackberries or blueberries will give a bluish purple. Crab apple bark will make a reddish brown, while pokeweed berries will make a red-purple. Artichokes, grass, and foxglove flowers will all give you a shade of green. The possibilities are endless, so try looking up a recipe online to find the color you want and to help you identify appropriate plants. [17] X Research source Cut the plant material into small pieces. Use 1 part plant material to 2 parts water. Boil it together for an hour, and then strain out the plant pieces. To set the dyes, dip the fabric in a mordant before the dye. For berry dyes, you can use 8 cups (1,900 ml) of water and 0. 5 cups (120 ml) of salt. For plant dyes, try 1 part vinegar to 4 parts cold water. Simmer the fabric in the mordant for an hour. Rinse it out, and place it in the dye bath and simmer for an hour. [18] X Research source
Place 5 pounds (2. 3 kg) of acorns in a pot of water large enough for the acorns to move freely. Let the acorns simmer for 2 hours. Strain out the acorns. Keep the acorn mixture warm. Dip your fabric in, leaving it for 30 to 45 minutes. Squeeze out the dye, and dip it into the iron mixture (in a bowl) for 10 minutes. Go back and forth, leaving it in each mixture for 5 minutes until you reach a color you like. Squeeze it out between each dip. At the end, squeeze the fabric again. Let the fabric dry for an hour, and then wash it out in cool water with soap.
Unsweetened flavored drink packets, such as Kool-Aid or Flavor Aid, will color cotton. However, the color will fade over time.
When the fabric is as dark as you’d like, squeeze out the dye, and run it under cold water. Soak it in a bit of white vinegar for 10 minutes to help set the color. Rinse out the vinegar and then let the fabric dry. You can also iron it to get out the wrinkles. Tea or coffee can be used to give fabrics a vintage look. You can also use them to hide stains on white towels that have seen better days.
