Fabric Dyeing 101: Simple Instructions For Beautiful Fabrics

Fabric Dyeing 101 Book Feedback

2012-01-06T16:28:00.000-05:00

Fabric Dyeing 101 has been available for about six weeks now and I'm starting to get feedback from those of you who have had time to create some hand-dyes. Here's one recent message:

Hi Melissa

I purchased your ebook last month and just wanted to let you know I think this is the best book on hand dyeing fabrics I've seen yet.

I've purchased several books on hand dyeing fabrics---many cost much more than yours and yet yours is the best. The directions are so detailed yet easy to follow. I've dyed rainbow #1 a few days ago and it came out just beautiful.

Thank you so much for such a wonderful and useful resource.

A.

Music to my ears!

Thanks to all of you who have purchased the book so far. I really appreciate it and look forward to hearing from more of you. It can be quite a thrill when you see how beautiful your own hand-dyed fabrics will be!

~Melissa

PS: If you've got an eReader or iPad (or a computer), my free eBook is available in all formats.

Fabric Dyeing 101 Book

2011-12-21T16:01:00.001-05:00

All of the instructions that have appeared on this site over the years have now been revised and improved and made into a book for anyone wanting to learn how to dye cotton fabrics (for sewing and quilting) at home using Procion MX dyes. These dyes, often used for tie-dyeing, are inexpensive and readily available.

There are several formats of the book available:

eBook file (PDF file) that you can read on your computer or other devise. This file can also be printed out on your home printer.
coil-bound book with full colour cover and interior
coil-bound book with colour cover and black and white interior

Fabric Dyeing 101: Simple Instructions For Beautiful Fabrics For Those Who Wish To Be Both Frugal and Gentle On The Earth

by Melissa J. Will

eBook

(87 pages, colour photos, PDF format, uses Acrobat Reader, can be printed out)

Order directly from this site using PayPal $2.99 US:

or [Download it at Lulu.com for $2.99 US]

Coil-bound books
[buy the book with colour cover and black and white interior]

[buy the book with colour cover and full colour interior]

Fabric Dyeing 101

I wrote these instructions as if you were with me in the studio, eager to get started in fabric dyeing, having little or no experience.
I tell you everything you need to know to get started, from obtaining supplies to understanding how the process works, and then walking you through an actual dye session.
I did my best to provide you with exactly what you need to know without overwhelming you with technical details yet anticipating all the questions that my students have asked me in workshops.
If there's a rule behind something, I like to know the rationale behind it, and that's what I've provided in the book.
There are many excellent fabric dyeing books featuring an assortment of methods and skill levels. What I've done here is provide you with the simplest, least expensive, and least wasteful way I know how to get you dyeing some fabrics of your own. If you love it, there's a whole world of possibilities waiting for you.

Contents include:

[See the complete Table of Contents here]

An overview of the fabric dyeing process
Specific step-by-step instructions with tips and tricks for getting best results
A walk-through of a dye recipe to guide you through your first dye session
Health and safety considerations
A complete supply list and suggestions for obtaining supplies [more info here]
Fabric selection advice
Tips for maximizing supplies and minimizing waste
How to make mottled and solid fabrics
How to ensure your fabrics are washfast
How to design your own fabric colour sets
How to convert the recipes for different fabric sizes
Recipes for rainbows, two colour blends, three colour blends, gradations, deluxe blends, skin tones, and neutrals (mosses, browns, forest colours)
Surface design instructions for fabric/sky painting and easy batiks
My story: how a paisley pantsuit launched my colour obsession

Why You Might Like to Own This Book

This eBook is ideal both for beginners or anyone needing a refresher course without a big investment in materials.
Learn to dye your first set of fabrics with a basic fabric dyeing or tie-dye starter kit, some 100% cotton sewing fabric, and inexpensive household supplies such as plastic beer cups and measuring spoons.
Advanced dyers measure their dyes with a scale but I use measuring spoons with beginners because the amounts of dye used in my recipes is so small and measuring spoons are inexpensive. To me, the important part is making best use of materials and getting great results.
The process is specifically designed to minimize costs and waste so it's kind to both your pocketbook and the earth.
The instructions are written to provide you with exactly what you need to know to become a confident and creative fabric dyer without overwhelming technical details.
The fabrics created are suitable for sewing and quilting.
The PDF format allows you to read it on your computer or any other device that can read a PDF file. You can also print out the PDF file as desired.

Do Not Buy This Book If...

You have already gobbled up the contents of this site. This book is an improved version of all of the information that has appeared on Fabricdyeing101.blogspot.com over the past few years. If you've already learned to dye fabric, you may not find anything particularly new here.
If you're hoping for a sexy coffee table book featuring gorgeous hand-dyes: this is not the book for you. To make the book manageable on a variety of devices, I had to keep the photos fairly small and to a minimum.
If you're looking for a recipe resource book with every possible colour and gradation, again, this book is not for you. (There's several like that already on the market.) The recipes in this book let you create a good sampling of colours without committing to dyeing many yards of fabric.

However

If you're hoping for simple instructions, sensible explanations, and a straight forward approach that doesn't waste your money or your time (or unnecessarily pollute the planet), then you may like this book.
But again, it's not new material: just a very (I hope) succinctly edited revision with a variety of simplified recipes (again, previously posted on this site) to get the beginner exploring this wonderful hobby (or business). And I'm hoping the $2.99 price tag is appealing.

About The Author

Melissa Will is a writer, artist, and organic gardener living in Middlesex County, Ontario, Canada. Intending to dye a few yards of fabric for a quilt, she ended up obsessively dyeing every colour combination she could dream up and subsequently owned and operated Ode to Claude: Monet-Inspired Hand-Dyed Fabrics to justify dyeing yet more fabric. Teaching opportunities necessitated writing an instruction manual for her simple fabric dyeing method. These instructions were subsequently shared on fabricdyeing101.blogspot.com, launching many more new dyers into the wonderful world of colour obsession. Fabric Dyeing 101: Simple Instructions For Beautiful is a simplified, improved, and updated version of those instructions.

PS: If you're interested in the story behind writing this book, read it here.

Fabric Swatches From Dyeing Experiments

2011-12-16T12:27:00.001-05:00

When I was learning how to dye fabric and began to obsessively (and happily) experiment with colour combinations, I kept swatches of all of my work. These are scans of some of those first experiments that ended up as recipes in Fabric Dyeing 101: Simple Instructions For Beautiful Fabrics.

What I learned early on is, there really are no bad combinations with Procion MX dyes. Every fabric will find a purpose in a quilt, wall hanging, or something else. And to me, many hand-dyed fabrics look great in frames displayed as works of art.

Examples of Hand-Dyes

2011-12-07T11:28:00.001-05:00

The instructions in my book Fabric Dyeing 101: Simple Instructions For Beautiful Fabrics teach you how to dye 100% cotton fabrics (for sewing and quilting) using Procion MX dyes.Here are some examples of hand-dyed fabrics:

Here are the fabrics used in quilts. You can see the full view of the quilts here.

Cyber Book Signing

2011-12-06T22:14:00.001-05:00

If you order (or have already ordered) my book Hand-Dyes For Sale: How I Turned My Hobby Into A Business at Amazon (Kindle), I can inscribe and sign it for you.

In case you're wondering, the book is actually a free download at Smashwords but costs 99 cents at Amazon because a publisher can't list a book for $0 when it is first uploaded. I have to list it elsewhere for $0. and then ask them to price match it! I'm learning a lot as I venture into this eBook world....

But, I see some people have bought Kindle copies, so I'm hoping the 99 cent price tag is okay as well.

You can request an inscription and my signature at Kindlegraph. Just search the name of my book and you'll see instructions on the site.

I find this kind of thing fun in a very geeky kind of way.

Free eBook: My Business Story

2011-12-05T11:44:00.001-05:00

For those of you who have visited this site over the years, you may have the read my initial blog posts on the story of my hand-dyed fabric business. I posted it to share the behind-the-scenes experience of running an art-based business at home.

I had posted the story in installments but I left out a few major details and it read like an unintentional cliffhanger. Now that some time has passed, I feel like I can freely tell the whole story. And I only had to change one person's name!

This free eBook tells the story of how my desire to make a simple quilt turned into a bustling hand-dyed fabric business.While it's not a business how-to, you may get some ideas about how you want to develop and run your own craft or art-based business after reading about my struggles and successes.

Hand-Dyes For Sale: How I Turned My Hobby Into A Business

by Melissa J. Will

Have you ever wanted to turn a favorite craft or art-based hobby into a business? Melissa reveals both frustrating and funny experiences with her hand-dyed fabric business. What started as a simple, online shop soon filled her days (and nights) with new challenges, opportunities, and unexpected visitors.

eBook (free!)

Available for the Kindle, Nook, Sony Reader, Kobo, and most e-reading apps including Stanza, Aldiko, Adobe Digital Editions, Palm, others.

[Download it free at Smashwords] [99 cents at Amazon]

Book Announcement!

2011-11-20T16:02:00.001-05:00

All of the instructions that have appeared on this site over the years have now been revised and improved. They are now available in several formats:

eBook file that you can read on your computer or other devise (this file can also be printed out)
coil-bound book with full colour cover and interior
coil-bound book with colour cover and black and white interior

Fabric Dyeing 101:Simple Instructions For Beautiful Fabrics For Those Who Wish To Be Both Frugal and Gentle On The Earth

by Melissa J. Will

eBook

(87 pages, colour photos, PDF format, uses Acrobat Reader, can be printed out)

Order directly from this site using PayPal $2.99 US:

or [Download it at Lulu.com for $2.99 US]

Coil-bound books
Be sure to check Lulu's front page for any coupons available [here]

[buy the book with colour cover and black and white interior]

[buy the book with colour cover and full colour interior]

You can view the eBook on your computer using Adobe Reader or any other device that reads PDF files . You may also print it out on your printer.All of the instructions previously available on Fabricdyeing101.blogspot.com have been simplified to make it even easier to create your own beautiful hand-dyed cotton fabrics with Procion MX dyes. And it's ad-free.

Contents include:

[See the complete Table of Contents here]

An overview of the fabric dyeing process
Specific step-by-step instructions with tips and tricks for getting best results
A walk-through of a dye recipe to guide you through your first dye session
Health and safety considerations
A complete supply list and suggestions for obtaining supplies [more info here]
Fabric selection advice
Tips for maximizing supplies and minimizing waste
How to make mottled and solid fabrics
How to ensure your fabrics are washfast
How to design your own fabric colour sets
How to convert the recipes for different fabric sizes
Recipes for rainbows, two colour blends, three colour blends, gradations, deluxe blends, skin tones, and neutrals (mosses, browns, forest colours)
Surface design instructions for fabric/sky painting and easy batiks
My story: how a paisley pantsuit launched my colour obsession

Who Might Like to Own This Book

This ebook is ideal both for beginners or anyone needing a refresher course without a big investment in materials. Dye your first set of fabrics with a basic fabric dyeing or tie-dye starter kit, some 100% cotton sewing fabric, and inexpensive household supplies such as plastic beer cups and measuring spoons. The process is specifically designed to minimize costs and waste so it's kind to both your pocketbook and the earth. The instructions are written to provide you with exactly what you need to know to become a confident and creative fabric dyer without overwhelming technical details. The fabrics created are suitable for sewing and quilting. The PDF format allows you to read it on your computer or other device that can read a PDF file, as well as print out pages as desired.

Do Not Buy This Book If...

you have already gobbled up the contents of this site. This book is an improved version of all of the information that has appeared on Fabricdyeing101.blogspot.com over the past few years. If you've already learned to dye fabric, you may not find anything particularly new here. To make the book manageable on a variety of devices, I had to keep the photos fairly small and to a minimum.

If you're hoping for a sexy coffee table book featuring gorgeous hand-dyes: this is not the book for you. If you're looking for a recipe resource book with every possible colour and gradation, again, this book is not for you. (There's several like that already on the market.)

If you're hoping for simple instructions, sensible explanations, and a straight forward approach that doesn't waste your money or your time (or unnecessarily pollute the planet), then you may like this book. But again, it's not new material: just a very (I hope) succinctly edited revision with a variety of simplified recipes (again, from the site) to get the beginner exploring this wonderful hobby (or business).

About The Author

PS: If you're interested in the story behind writing this book, read it here.

Special Offer

2011-11-20T08:30:00.000-05:00

Offer valid until November 30, 2011
If you have ever made a PayPal donation to this site, I would like to thank you with a free copy of Fabric Dyeing 101: Simple Instructions for Beautiful Fabrics For Those Who Wish To Be Both Frugal and Gentle on the Earth.
Send me an email at fabricdyeing101.gmail.com with your PayPal name/email address (so I can verify the donation) and I will send you your free copy of the ebook (PDF format).

Fabric Dyeing 101 Table of Contents

2011-11-19T15:16:00.000-05:00

Fabric Dyeing 101:Simple Instructions For Beautiful Fabrics For Those Who Wish To Be Both Frugal and Gentle On The Earth

by Melissa J. Will

eBook

(87 pages, colour photos, PDF format, uses Acrobat Reader, can be printed out)

Order directly from this site using PayPal $2.99 US:

or [Download it at Lulu.com for $2.99 US]

Coil-bound books

Be sure to check the front page of Lulu for any coupons available [here].

[buy the book with colour cover and black and white interior]

[buy the book with colour cover and full colour interior]

Contents

1Introduction

2 Overview andSupplies

HowTo Use This Book
AboutProcion MX dyes
BasicSteps
SomeFactors Affecting The Outcome Of FabricDyeing
Healthand Safety
Supplies
Supplylist

3 Detailed Steps

1.Fabric Preparation
a.Scour fabric in washing machine
b.Dry the fabric
c.Cut or tear fabric pieces
FatEighths And Fat Quarter Definitions
d.Code the fabric pieces
2.Soda Ash Pre-Soak
3.Work Area Set-Up
4.Prepare The Dye Concentrates
Testyour water temperature
Measurethe dye powders
Storethe dye powders
Howto store leftover dye concentrates
Usingdye concentrates that have been stored inthe fridge
5.Mix The Dye Solutions
6.Combine The Fabric With The Dye Solutions
Howto make mottled fabrics
Howto make solid colour fabrics
7.Cure The Fabrics
Can'tI cure fabric in the microwave oven?
8.Clean-Up
9.Rinse The Excess Dye Out Of The Fabric
Rinsinglarge volumes of fabric
Washfasttest
10.Wash, Dry The Rinsed Fabrics
11.Iron fabric and Cut Out Swatches
12.Show Off Your Beautiful Fabrics
Hindsight:One big regret I have
Whatif your fabrics didn't turn out like mine?

4 How To Read TheRecipes

Recipenames and swatches
Tworecipes on each page
Dyeconcentrate amounts
Dyesolution amounts

5 Recipe Details

Rainbows
Walk-ThroughDyeing Rainbow #1
Two-ColourBlends
Neutrals
Three-ColourBlends
ColourGradations
DeluxeCombinations
SkinTones

6 How To Create YourOwn Recipes

1.Print out a blank recipe template
2.Decide how much fabric you want to dye
3.Decide colours, colour values, and combinations
Amountof dye powder to use
4.Proportions of dye powders
5.Colour choices
6.Determine dye concentrate amounts
7.Dye solution amounts
8.Textures: Mottles or Solids

7 Other Techniques

Skypainting with shaving foam and fabric dyes
Easybatiks fabrics with gel glueand fabric dyes

8 Reference

AboutColours: Primary, Complementary, Secondary, Neutrals, Values
ColourMixing Chart
EquivalentMeasures
AdaptingThe Recipes For Different-Sized Fabric Pieces

9 Recipes

A.Rainbow #1: Any Red, Blue, And Yellow (12 Pieces)
B.Rainbow #2: Fuchsia, Navy Blue, And Golden Yellow (12 Pieces)
C.Rainbow #3: Scarlet Red, Royal Blue, And Bright Yellow (12 Pieces)
D.Rainbow #4: A Light Version Of Rainbow #3 (12 Pieces)
E.Two-Colour Blend #1: Fuchsia And Royal Blue (8 Pieces)
F.Two-Colour Blend #2: Fuchsia And Royal Blue Light (8 Pieces)
G.Two-Colour Blend #3: Royal Blue And Chino (6 Pieces)
H.Two-Colour Blend #4: Fuchsia And Turquoise (6 Pieces)
I.Two-Colour Blend #5: Pink And Yellow (8Pieces)
J.Neutrals #1: Browns (8 Pieces)
K.Neutrals #2: Forest Floor (8 Pieces)
L.Neutrals #3: Forest Floor Light (8 Pieces)
M.Three-Colour Blends #1: Pinks And Purples (12 Pieces)
N.Three-Colour Blends #1: Burgundy, NavyBlue And Chino (12 Pieces)
O.Gradations #1: Gray (4 Pieces)
P.Deluxe Blends #1: Apple Green And Coral(6 Pieces)
Q.Deluxe Rainbow #1: Violet Purple, Teal, And Salmon Pink (12 Pieces)
BlankRecipe Template

Site Changes

2011-11-16T12:55:00.001-05:00

Some of you have noticed the recipes on this site are not available right now. I'm in the midst of some big changes here and that's a sign they're underway. Sorry for any inconvenience. Watch for changes and an announcement coming soon. The behind the scenes work is in the home stretch. Woot!