A Beginner's Guide to Dyeing and Sewing

Whether you’re looking to refresh, transform or personalise your clothing, soft furnishings or fabric accessories, or to dye fabric so that you can create brand-new items, this book has you covered.

This simple but rich and informative book contains everything you need to know to start dyeing. It shows you how to create 12 dazzling dye effects from tie-dyeing and dip-dyeing to creating checks, lines, droplets and bubbles and then shows you how to put them into practice to create 21 gorgeous sewn projects, ranging from bags and pillows to towels, scarves and clothing.

It offers advice on dyeing printed fabrics and working with a base colour, as well as guidance on washing and maintaining dyed fabric. The dyeing techniques are created either in the washing machine, by hand or in the microwave, and clear instructions are given for each method. The book focuses on readily-available chemical dyes, but the dye effects could transfer to natural types as well. All the sewing steps are explained clearly, with handy illustrations to provide clarity where necessary.

Book Contents

Why dye? 5
What to dye 6
The qualities of dyed fabrics 8
Different types of dye 10
The Colours 12
Dyeing: general principles 14
Equipment 16
Sewing box 18
The main principles of dyeing 20
Creating effects 24
Creating random patterns by knotting 24
Making a big circle 25
Creating a bubble effect 26
Creating plant-like effects 27
Creating a dip-dyed effect 28
Creating a wide, irregular line 29
Creating geometric checks 30
Creating narrow lines 31
Creating effects with a spray 32
Creating a droplet effect 33
Creating a ‘stain’ effect 34
Particular case: Dyeing wool 35
Projects
Dyeing in the washing machine 36
Hand dyeing 82
Dyeing in the microwave 116