Dye Clothing

How you dye your clothing depends on what it is made of. Is it a cotton/rayon blend? Is it a wool knit sweater? Here is the science behind dyeing that will get you the best results.

Protein (Wool, Cashmere, Silk)
• What are Protein Fibers?
• How to Dye Protein Fibers
• Learn about Acid Dyes

Cellulose (Cotton, Linen, Hemp)
• What are Cellulose Fibers?
• How to Dye Cellulose Fibers
• Learn about Fiber Reactive Dye

Synthetics (Spandex, Nylon, Polyester)
• List of Synthetic Fibers
• How to Dye Synthetic Fibers

Feelin’ groovy? In tie dye, you aren’t just limited to t-shirts. You can tie-dye socks, shorts…even underwear. Tie dye is a fun party project that can be completed outside in the summer, or indoors. Follow these steps to get in on the boho trend without spending the bucks.

Tie Dye is only one way to dye fabric with swirling designs and crackle features. Try dip dying fabric. This simple process involves crumpling the fabric in the dye to produce an array of effects. There are no rubber bands required, and the results are different than conventional tie dye.

You can create these delicate patterns with just a bottle of bubbles and some tempera paint. Bubble prints add a trippy look to your shirts, and can be used with your tie-dye projects.

Dying a piece of clothing can put a whole new spin on your look. Renew some of your clothes with fresh, vibrant color, or dye some whites to give them more flavor. Simply follow these step-by-step instructions.

Learn how to float paints above fabric to gain this ethereal and psychedelic look. These kinds of prints are so in right now, so why not do it for free at home?

Turn your morning brew into an effective dye. Soaking clothes in coffee will produce those smooth browns and khaki's that are always in style. What a cheap and easy dye solution.

Fabric painting with a marker pen or paint pen rather than brush and paint is particularly useful when it comes to painting thin lines. (And there's no brush to clean afterwards!) But that's hardly the only thing you can do with fabric markers or paint pens. They give you great control for "coloring in", work easily with stencils, and can be used with rubber stamps.

- From our Guide to Painting.