04
finish
There’s not much left to do at this point but to let your pieces hang dry and give them a final wash.After you get a few dye sessions under your belt, you’ll get a better grasp of how to produce the colors you desire. If you’re in love with the color you achieve while the fabric is wet, I have to break your heart and remind you that it will dry about 2 shades lighter and fade even more in the first wash.
(Wet vs. washed & dried)
DRY THE DYE
Once you complete your final rinse and ring out the piece to the best of your ability, it’s time to hang it to dry. If it’s cold and rainy outside (like here, perpetually) then you definitely don’t want to line dry outside. For those of you in a similar situation, get each of your pieces on hangers and find a way to hang them where they can drip down below (from the shower curtain rod works best). Make certain to have a tray beneath your hanging items. If there’s any excess dye, it will stain your tub or tile as it drips.
FIRST WASH
After the dyed pieces are completely dry, it’s time to put them in the washing machine on a gentle cycle, with no detergent. A short wash is sufficient. This will ensure any excess dye runs off without transferring onto other clothing in the future. Once the cycle is through, throw them in the dryer, as normal.
CARE FOR YOUR DYED ITEMS
Always wash your dyed items on a gentle cycle with a gentle detergent. You may hand wash them with a gentle soap, if you prefer.
Remember, dyeing should be relaxing and interesting. And perhaps a bit awe-inspiring. If you find yourself striving for perfection, stop. Take a moment to think about why you’re doing what you’re doing. The point of the exercise is to learn a new skill, to learn more about yourself and your relationship with Earth, to appreciate what you already have and realize the importance of reusing. If you make a mistake, celebrate it. An essential part of dyeing with natural dye is experimenting and appreciating that no two pieces will ever be identical. If you’re worried about ruining a clothing item you love, don’t dye it your first time. Make a smaller batch of dye. Find or make some fabric scraps to experiment with and document what worked for you. Do that again next time, but on the actual piece you want to dye!
For me, working with textile has consistently been one of the most rewarding arts. It gives me freedoms that I don’t necessarily feel I have when designing or drawing. It pulls me out of my comfort zone and encourages me to make mistakes, to find solutions to problems that don’t need to exist, but rather materialize from curiousity.
Hopefully you’ll have the opportunity to experience some of those freedoms. And perhaps this post will help kickstart or renew or extend an essential period of creativity in your life. Have fun with it and share your results with me if you do decide to try it out!
xo Laura
Always wash your dyed items on a gentle cycle with a gentle detergent. You may hand wash them with a gentle soap, if you prefer.
conclusion
Now you can take pride in your hardwork and reflect on the process that brought you to the finished piece. Hopefully you will find that there is more to take away from the full experience than the surface level lessons.Remember, dyeing should be relaxing and interesting. And perhaps a bit awe-inspiring. If you find yourself striving for perfection, stop. Take a moment to think about why you’re doing what you’re doing. The point of the exercise is to learn a new skill, to learn more about yourself and your relationship with Earth, to appreciate what you already have and realize the importance of reusing. If you make a mistake, celebrate it. An essential part of dyeing with natural dye is experimenting and appreciating that no two pieces will ever be identical. If you’re worried about ruining a clothing item you love, don’t dye it your first time. Make a smaller batch of dye. Find or make some fabric scraps to experiment with and document what worked for you. Do that again next time, but on the actual piece you want to dye!
For me, working with textile has consistently been one of the most rewarding arts. It gives me freedoms that I don’t necessarily feel I have when designing or drawing. It pulls me out of my comfort zone and encourages me to make mistakes, to find solutions to problems that don’t need to exist, but rather materialize from curiousity.
Hopefully you’ll have the opportunity to experience some of those freedoms. And perhaps this post will help kickstart or renew or extend an essential period of creativity in your life. Have fun with it and share your results with me if you do decide to try it out!
xo Laura