Flat Dyeing

I started flat-dyeing my fabric after years of producing fabrics with mottled color, which no longer appealed to me. I desired fabrics with rich smooth color, that looked like a solid, but not so perfect so as to confuse it with a commercially produced product. I also had to think of a way to reduce the amount of "elbow-grease" I put into the work, as I had come to view dyeing fabric, with all the agitating and massaging, a chore, and I often felt tired after a long day in the sun. So here for you is a brief explanation of my method of flat-dyeing. Enjoy!

1. Start with a sunny day... the hotter the better. You will need a few hours of blazing sun to reap the full reward the dyes have to offer.
2. Mix the soda ash according to instructions found on Dharma and Prochem's websites... I purchased a large bag of it from a pool supply store years ago, and usually dump a cup or two in a big tub filled with about a gallon of water. Soda ash is the stuff that helps the dye bind to the fabric, and it's cheap, so I have no problem being generous with it. Prepare your fabric by soaking it in the soda ash bath, and spinning (without rinsing) in the washer until excess liquid is removed. I use Kaufman pimatex PFD fabric. It's fabric that is "prepared for dyeing" with no whiteners, sizing or softeners. This is also the same fabric that is favored by batik makers, so if you are curious about the weight and texture, go to your stash and check out your batiks. I like how this fabric takes the dye, how it irons out flat and smooth, and the price! I purchase 300 yard rolls... and currently, I'm on my fourth one... Yikes! I would like to try bleached cotton print cloth from Test Fabrics, but maybe later.
   
   
3. Assemble your dyes, again according to instructions from the manufacturer. I use fiber reactive MX dyes. I find about 400 m.l. of solution is good for 100 grams of fabric, which is just about how much a piece of fabric weighs if I cut it to the length from the tip of my nose to the end of an outstretched arm. At this moment I have to ask you to pardon me for switching back and forth between the metric system and the American measuring system. Ahem. Rather than pay attention to exact measurements, I can only encourage you to experiment for yourself and see what works for you.
   
   
4. Have on hand your dye-table or any flat surface and plenty of sheets of plastic. I use heavy painter's plastic found in most hardware stores. I cut them to 3' x 4' panels.
5. Now the fun begins! Lay out a piece of folded fabric, pour the dye over it, smear it around a bit until the whole cloth is saturated and cover with plastic. Once the plastic is secure, roll over it with a painter's roller until the bubbles and excess dye are squeezed out. Repeat this process, over and over again, layering fabric and plastic until finished. I've layered MANY pieces of fabric on top of each other at once... with no harm in the final results, but if you are concerned about the sun's ability to heat up those bottom layers, you may want to stick with just a few layers to start.
6. Let your stack of fabric and plastic "cook" in the sun for at least a few hours. I usually call it a day and come back to it the following morning.
7. Clean up is a breeze! Simply separate your dyed fabrics and plastics into two piles. Don't worry about excess dye leaking onto different colored fabrics... the dye process is over and if your fabric is saturated, it will not take up additional color.
8. Throw the fabric in the wash with some Synthrapol (a little goes a long way) and be sure to set your washer to pre-rinse and extra rinse if you have a low-water washer.
9. The sheets of plastic can be rinsed off and hung to dry.
10. The last step is to enjoy the results! Use it, please use it! There is no sense in creating all this beautiful fabric if you stop here! Please cut into it, slice it up, have fun with it!! It makes the hours of working in the sun all worth it, I tell ya!

Finally, a word about imperfections. Remember that fold I mentioned, the one in step #5 where I said I folded my fabric before dyeing it? Well, often what happens is the dye is a bit uneven on this fold. Or sometimes the dye is able to seep to the fabric just above or beneath it, creating marks and subtle imperfections. I've come to view these anomalies as bonuses not flaws. You see, in my opinion, that's what makes this fabric unique to me... I was the one that did that... thus giving the fabric a little personality, and a sense of authenticity when used in an art quilt. It's important to me to be able to say, "From start to finish, I had as much to do with this quilt as I could." Don't ask me why, it simply resonates with me. This is not to say I'm a purist, I have used commercial fabrics in my quilts before, but for now I just prefer working this way. So when you find "flaws" in your dyed fabrics, instead of feeling badly about the work you've just done, feel good about it! Enjoy it for what it is... a piece of fabric that can never be copied or duplicated... something uniquely you, and something which says you had a hand in creating it! Be proud of your work! I promise you, if you do, you will never want to stop!

There is more information out there on fabric dyeing, much more! If you are curious, I highly recommend these people:

• Ann Johnston
• Elin Noble
• Paula Burch
• Carol Soderlund

This ends my tutorial on flat-dyeing. I hope you've enjoyed reading it as much as I've had creating it for you. If you have further questions, please don't hesitate to contact me. I'm happy to help and even happier to inspire! Feel free to send me pictures of your results. I'd love to see what you come up with!