dip dye fabric tutorial

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Supplies:

-Linen Pillow- I made this one with an envelope back but these cotton pillows are really great- 100% Cotton Pillows 4 pack- https://amzn.to/3xwrPnO

If you prefer to use an indigo kit this is a good one- 

-Jacquard Indigo Kit: https://amzn.to/3qaonN3

Indigo ingredients for a 2x2x1 vat

- Pre-reduced indigo- https://amzn.to/2UmMaOh

-Soda Ash- Sodium Carbonate- https://amzn.to/3vAxKqw

-Thiox- https://www.dharmatrading.com/chemicals/dharmas-dyehouse-color-remover.html

-Bucket 3-5 Gallons- https://amzn.to/3cQTlVi

-Synthrapol- dyers' detergent- https://amzn.to/3cSPNls

-Drop Cloth https://amzn.to/3vAhFBe

-Gloves- https://amzn.to/2SaTBHo

Disclaimer: Please note that the links above are Amazon affiliate links- that means I get a commission when you buy these- at no extra cost to you. I use affiliate links on products that I have actually used. Thanks for your support.

Dip dyeing is such a beautiful and simple technique.  Another name for dip dyeing is ombre.  Ombre is having a moment when it comes to hair dyeing and nails- but its also possible to do it on fabric! It's simple but a little tricky.  I takes patience but it's worth the time and effort.  

First make sure that you are working with a natural fiber- like cotton or linen.  I'm working with linen.  It's one of my favorite fibers to work with when it comes to indigo.  You will also need to wash the fabric- also known as scouring.  

Next you will need to prep your indigo vat- I'm using an existing one.  If you need to punch it up you can add a small amount of chemicals or mix up a new indigo vat.  

Then I got the fabric wet and I dipped the pillow first to the half way mark of the pillow.  I held it with my hands in a circular way to keep the fabric not touching itself.   After I dipped it for about a minute.  I took it out and put it on the rack to dry.  Make sure your rack is clean.  I let it dry and then I washed it with synthrapol.  I washed it by hand since it is so small.  Then I let it dry completely.  I decided for the second dip I would do a dry dip to avoid getting the tendrils drawn up into the white section.  It's a little trick to get the dry fabric to go into the vat on an even plane.  But I just worked it in slowly and let it really soak up the indigo. I honestly really like working with dry dip because it seems to get the darkest color.  For the second dip, I dipped it about 2 inches above the first line of the first dip.  I held it in the vat for another minute and then I put on the drying rack to dry again.  

I only did two dips for this one, but you can do as many dips as you want to get the desired shade.  If you make a dip dye piece be sure to post it on instagram and tag me @onyxartstudios so I can see your results! 

Check out my Skillshare Classes and Online Workshops: 

How to Ice Dye for Beginners: You can get a free 14 day trial of Skillshare Premium with this link: https://skl.sh/3xKUPJf

Indigo Tie Dye Shibori for Beginners: You can get a free 14 day trial of Skillshare Premium with this link: https://skl.sh/3mPXk83 

Live Online Shibori  indigo Tie Dye for Beginners: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/shibori-indigo-tie-dye-for-beginners-virtual-workshop-tickets-104093582708?keep_tld=1

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