Kettle Dyeing Fabric or Yarn

Kettle dyeing your fabric gives slightly less predictable results, but with a little practice it can be an excellent way to create beautiful, variegated designs onto your fabrics. This method will work best with an undyed fabric, such as unbleached muslin or undyed silk scarves.

 

Gather your materials:

In order to kettle dye fabric at home, you will need:

• a stock pot
• a large wooden or plastic stirring spoon or paint stirring stick (again, not for food use)
• a strainer
• a small spoon
• an old towel or rag or several paper towels
• powered fabric dyes (Rit for cotton, Jacquard for wool or silk)
• fabric for dyeing or a garment such as a shirt
• protective clothing

**Not all of the above items should NOT be used for food after dyeing!

 

How to Kettle Dye Fabric

1. Prepare the dye bath.
Heat up a bath of water in a large pot on your stovetop. The water should be hot but not boiling (bring it to a simmer). Remember: you cannot use this pot again for food products, so go find one at a thrift store that you will reserve just for crafting.
Tip: If you’re using certain kinds of dyes they may call for an acid or a mordant to set the dye. Include this acid or mordant in the water bath before adding the fabric. For Jacquard dyes, use a healthy splash of vinegar in every dye bath.

2. Soak the fabric.
Submerge your fabric into the hot water and use your spoon or stirring stick to poke it down until it is fully saturated.

3. Add the dye.
Use a small spoon (a plastic restaurant spoon works well for this, or a measuring spoon you won’t use for food again) to scoop up a VERY small amount of dye; sprinkle this dye onto the fabric. Use your spoon to push the dye into the fabric until it soaks in.
Tip: Less is always more in this process. You can always add more dye to get more color, but if you over-do it the dye will spread quickly and potentially ruin the fabric. Repeat this step with other colors of dye until your fabric is fully colored the way you want it to be.

4. Simmer.
Turn down the heat to medium-low and allow the fabric to simmer on the stove for approximately 10 to 15 minutes in order to fully set the dye.

5. Rinse.
Place your strainer in the sink and pour the dye bath out over the strainer, catching the fabric in the strainer. Rinse the fabric with cool water until the water runs clear and the excess dye rinses out. Hang it up to dry or wash and dry as normal.

 

I found some great how to videos on YouTub.  Check out this video from DevineDIY and this one with Mary from Camaj Handspun Yarn. She has an awesome tip on keeping your counters clean but videos are a perfect example of kettle dyeing. Kettle dyeing creates a soft, blended color combination that often resembles batik style fabrics. Try it out and see what you can create, and then show it off in the Sewing Loft Flickr Pool!

Fabric Dyeing Mini Series Round Up-

• Fabric Dyeing Basics
• Fabric Painting
• Tie Dye Fabric
• Dip Dyeing Fabric
• Kettle Dyeing Fabric

Come back next time where we’ll combine fabric dyeing and painting methods to create something new!

 

 

 

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