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TUTORIAL: Easy Fabric DYEING
by DANA on JULY 6, 2008

Fabric Dyeing does NOTneed to be:
Hard, Messy, Scary, Done in your washing machine, Done on your stove.
Fabric Dying CAN be:
Simple, Done in a bowl right in your sink, Fun, Experimental!

Now, Im not a professional or skilled fabric dyer (if thats a real word). Most of my DYEING
projects have been baby onesies and knits. The first time I attempted to dye fabric, I
followed the instructions from the RIT website. They were useful and Im sure tried and true.
But I found it frustrating that dyeing had to be done in my washing machine (or slaving over
a boiling pot of water, constantly stirring). I felt wasteful, when all I wanted to dye was a
couple of shirts. Basically, I was disappointed with the process.
Then I found a much simpler method HERE on This Mama Makes Stuff. I combined it with my
own experimentation. And Ive been sticking with that ever since. Its a simplified and fun
method for dyeing fabrics.
So lets get started!
Each step will be explained in detail below but here are the bullet points
5 Easy Steps for DYEING fabric:
1. Gather supplies
2. Mix Dye and hot water in a bowl
3. Add fabric and mix periodically for one hour (+)
4. Drain and rinse fabric
5. Wash and dry fabric in a machine

1. Gather your Supplies.
* Plastic Bowl- large enough to hold 3-4 onesies or a couple T-shirts.
* Mixing Spoon - use one you dont care about. It will be dyed along with the fabric.
* Clothing for Dyeing - Today Im dyeing 4 things: some white onesies, a clearance t-shirt
from Old Navy (which Ill sew some sort of applique on top of), and a green onesie that I
dyed a year ago but hated the color.
Have an old onesie with milk stains? Or pink onesies that once belonged to your daughter?
Dye them for your baby boy!
* DYE Options:
- RITdye, both liquid and powder forms, are the only ones Ive used. Theyve both worked
fine for me. Havent had any problems. However, Im anxious to test out some other DYE
brands which have been recommended by our readers.
- DYLON Dye (which you can find at Joanns). Just looking at their fantastically designed
website gets me excited to start dyeing.
-Procion MX Dyes, found at Dharma Trading. The quality and spectrum of colors is simply
amazing. The site states:
All 110 colors are brilliant, mouth-watering, and permanent. They dont fade, even after
repeated washings. They are economical, safe, and easy to use. Superior to supermarket
dyes in every way! Buy in small quantities, in bulk, or in kits.

So, grab your DYE of preference. In this Tutorial, I am only using RIT, Dark Brown powder in
the box. If you want to mix colors, go for it! Experiment on your own, or reference
the Custom Color list on the RIT site (of course then you have to follow their washing
machine instructions). Dyeing should be fun, not a pain. And if the color isnt what you
hoped for, you can dye it a different color! (like the green onesie above).
In this tutorial, I used THE ENTIRE box of
Dark Brown powder dye. At other times, Ive used just half of a box. Again, Im always
experimenting. If you decide to save half of the powder, make sure you fold it up, put it in a
ziplock bag, and store it where little hands cant reach it:
* Rubber Gloves - your hands
will be plunging in the fabric dye, so these are a must:

-
2. Mix Dye and hot water in a bowl. Just turn your tap to the hottest water you
can get and fill your bowl (no need to boil water on the stove):
Pour the dye (powder or liquid)
into the hot water. I chose to use the entire box of RIT Dark Brown powder. It also helps to
add a bit of table salt to the mix.about 1 Tablespoon:
Mix it all together for a minute or
so, making sure all the powder dissolves (like making Jello):

-
3. Add fabric and mix periodically for one hour or more
Get your fabric or clothing wet first with water (this will help it to dye more evenly). Then
with your gloves on, plunge the fabric into the dye bath (mmm, looks like a bowl of hot
chocolate)
Squish and plunge all your fabric
around in the dye so that every piece gets an even dye. Then submerge everything back in
the DYE and let it sit. Repeat this every 10-15 minutes, stirring/squishing/sitting. You can stir it
with a spoon or use your hands (with gloves) to squish it around. If you forget and it sits for a
1/2 hour, no worries, just mix it when you remember! There are no right and wrong answers
here.
Leave your fabric in the dye for
as little or as long as you like. The finished color will be slightly lighter than it looks like when
wet. I recommend leaving it in for at least ONE hour, or longer. But for a lighter shade leave
it in the dye bath for only a few minutes (make sure the dye has spread evenly on the
fabric).
For fun, I experimented and took out one of my fabrics at the ONE hour mark, and the rest
came out after FIVE hours. Heres how they look after being washed/dried (both were white
at the beginning):
NOTE: the Green onesie
(mentioned in Step 1) was left in for 5 hours, and looks just as brown as the white onesies
which also stayed in for 5 hours. I cant tell them apart.
Also NOTE: the Poly thread on store-bought onesies does not dye along with the fabric,
which is a nice touch! I love the contrasted stitching look!
-
4. Drain and rinse fabric
When your fabric is the desired color, pour the dye/water down the drain. Rinse each piece
there in your sink. No need to be thorough. It will be get another wash in your washing
machine.
Ring everything out and set it all
in a bowl. You dont want anything dripping on your floor as you walk to the laundry room!

-
5. Wash and dry fabric in a machine
Wash your dyed fabric on the Smallest Load setting with soap. When youre done, dry it in a
dryer. And.youre done!
Washing in the future: If youre nervous that not all the dye got out, you can wash them
again (I usually only wash once). And when you wash your dyed fabrics in the future,
continue to wash them with like-colors. I have incorporated Owens dyed t-shirts into our
normal laundry routine and havent had any problems. If youre worried though, keep them
separate.
If the color isnt exactly what you hoped for, dye it again!
Or add a little Freezer Paper Stencil on top:
And you have the perfect Baby Gift! Enjoy
your colorful life.

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{ 39 comments read them below or add one }
1Merry Edwards February 4, 2012 at 7:23 am
Thanks for the info I want to dye some jeans but just recently bought a front loader
washing machine, plus I hate cleaning the mess it leaves in the washer.
REPLY
2Valerie March 6, 2012 at 11:25 am
Thank you so much for this tutorial on dyeing. I love the way you take something that
looks hard or intimidating and make it easy to do. I am actually excited to dye my
first onsie. You are an inspiration!
REPLY
3Valerie March 11, 2012 at 1:47 am
Well, I dyed my first onsie, a shirt for my daughter, a long sleeve onsie for the baby
and I think I needed to leave it in the dye longer than 2 hours. After rinsing until clear,
like you mentioned, then I washed and dried them and noticed white clouds of
places that didnt get enough dye. I only had a wooden spoon to use, no
gloves..too excited to dye! I am going to do it again. It doesnt look too bad, but I
made my daughter a cute orange and yellow simple skirt (your tutorial) and I dyed a
white shirt orange and its only noticeable on the elbow. She look so darling. I even
made her a summer scarf (again, your tutorial) to match hed skirt. I cant thank you
enough for your inspiration, making things easy, and so much fun.
REPLY
4Laura J. March 21, 2012 at 9:37 am
The first commenter noted a mess in the washer. Should I be concerned with what
will happen to the inside of my washing machine? Or will rinsing until the water runs
clear avoid that? Also I liked that original green! Wouldve been cute paired with
pink!
REPLY
5Dana March 21, 2012 at 10:26 am
I never do it in my washer but in a bowl in the sink. So check the instructions on your
dye packet for washing machine tips. It might be a good idea to run a cycle when
youre done to make sure its clean. Of course that requires using more water and I
hate wasting water here in TX since were in a drought, so thats why I use my
bowl .
REPLY
6Jennifer D March 22, 2012 at 8:05 pm
Hi Dana! Great tutorial. Can I use a metal bowl? Thats all I have thats big enough
for a gauze blankie. Also, do you think this would be the easiest way to make a set of
play silks for a baby? Your link to Dharma reminded me Ive always wanted to try
that. Any suggestions? Thanks. And congrats on that lovely new baby!
REPLY
7Chuck March 24, 2012 at 8:50 am
The custom color guide at the Rit website is now
at:http://www.ritdye.com/colorit_color_formula_guide
I have dyed shirts and Im a guy. Its easy in a top-loading machine. Use the liquid
type, soak the fabric thoroughly first, then follow the instructions. To clean out the
washer later, just run it on full capacity with hot water and detergent and it will
clean it out. I had a bunch of boring white shirts for a former job and now have some
interesting colored shirts.
REPLY
8Allie H April 5, 2012 at 3:02 pm
Hi Dana! Great tutorial. I noticed that you rinse your clothes in and imagine you must
of course dump the water down what looks to me to be a stainless steel kitchen
sinkwhat detergent/cleaning products have you used to keep the sink clean after
your projects? Thanks in advance! To everyone else asking about the washer
method I think RIT does sell some after-dye cleaning powder or liquid that you can
add to the cycle you run after you do your clothes in the washerif not look into
Dharma fabrics and dyes company-Im sure they have something along those lines,
otherwise I imagine you could probably run a good old vinegar/bleach or baking
soda rinse?
REPLY
9Jessica April 16, 2012 at 3:23 pm
Yes. Just the idea I needed for my skin-colored sweater. It will now be dyed dark
brown. Thanks for sharing!
REPLY
10Libbie S June 23, 2012 at 10:45 am
Thanks for the great tutorial! Ive been wanting to try dyeing some clothes for awhile
but hated the idea of using my washing machine. I have one question. Does the
finished item have to be machine dried? I dont have a dryer and was wondering if
the heating from a dryer helped in setting the dye or if its just a matter of
convenience. Cheers!
REPLY
11Eugenia Brady July 10, 2012 at 2:38 pm
Thanks much! I like tutorials. Its a great help to me.
REPLY
12J July 16, 2012 at 5:28 pm
How do you get rid of the dye? Will it hurt grass or soil?
REPLY
13Kathleen August 2, 2012 at 5:08 pm
Great tutorial. I have been wanting to dye some pants more or less back to their
original color. I have been afraid that the dye would bleed on me. Is it actually set
after washing. I suppose you wouldnt put it on your baby if it did. But I am still
wondering.
REPLY
14Jovonna September 19, 2012 at 12:08 am
I just bought some liquid dye by RIT from AC Moore and the woman who worked
there said she did exactly what you did, but she said the best way to keep the color
is to add heat to it before putting it thru the washing machine. She suggested let it
dry and then iron it, then wash it and it will probably still bleed a little, but it will help
with the color. I will try it and see! Thanks for the tutorial.
REPLY
15Amanda Havens September 21, 2012 at 2:55 am
I dyed a bunch of stuff-cloth diapers, a Moby wrap, ect.-a while back. I loved how
they turned out but they continue to bleed after tons of rinsing (half an hour rinsing?)
and several wash cycles in my machine. Its really frustrating.
REPLY
16Steffie September 24, 2012 at 2:58 pm
To permanently set color after dyeing, use a vinegar soak. Wash and dry after the
dye job is done. Then soak the item in a 50/50 mix of water and white vinegar
overnight. I just use a small trashcan, and leave it in the tub. Rinse clear (see why the
tub?), wash and dry as normal, and add into the normal laundry cycles like store
bought. Itll never bleed. Or fade. My school and sports uniforms always looked like
new at the end of the year. I use this on stuff from the store, too.
I know this is kinda late to the game, but helpful enough to add anyway.
REPLY
17Sarah September 25, 2012 at 12:38 am
I love your blog! Thanks for this! I just used red RIT powder to dye a onesie for my
soon-to-be newborns Robin Halloween costume (big brother will be Batman). I have
a white sink in a rental, so I lined it with tin foil before I started, then cleaned stray
splashes with a Method brand counter top cleaner when I was finished (I didnt want
to use bleach as recommended on the package, being pregnant), and I have no
red stains.
REPLY
18Beth Moser-Chang October 16, 2012 at 10:18 pm
Thank you so much for this!! I am 33 weeks pregnant and washed all of my baby
boys clothes together and turned all the white ones pink! I mean really, what was I
thinking?? Now he will have brown, green and blue clothes. I actually like them
better. So maybe I can call it a happy accident!
REPLY
19Abby Smith October 25, 2012 at 11:40 am
Were you worried your onesie was going to be too brown? Mine is sitting in the water
right now and it looks black. Its only been in about ten minutes just worried if I
leave it in too long itll be black!!
REPLY
20Amanda Joy December 12, 2012 at 10:12 am
Hey can you dye a sweater? in the washing machine??
REPLY
21artsy December 26, 2012 at 1:06 pm
as much as this helped im still stuck im doing a science fair project on which fabrics
absorb and retain dye best?
REPLY
22frodo December 28, 2012 at 11:44 am
The more porous the fabric, the easier it will take to the dye cotton soaks up dye
much better than most synthetic fabrics. Just make sure to wash whatever it is you
are dying first, so that way you can avoid any problems with fabric shrink afterward
REPLY
23artsy December 26, 2012 at 7:14 pm
how well do synthetic fabrics accept dye?andhow well do natural fabrics accept
dye?
REPLY
24artsy December 27, 2012 at 1:32 pm
help
REPLY
25artsy December 28, 2012 at 11:41 am
anyone
REPLY
26heather December 28, 2012 at 11:22 pm
I was thinking about doing this to revamp my fadded black t-shirts and clothes. i
hope it works!
REPLY
27frodo December 30, 2012 at 12:18 pm
-_-
REPLY
28A'lies January 16, 2013 at 8:38 pm
Hi Dana
Just *LOVE* your blog I come here almost every day Unfortunatly I have 2 left
hands but Im willing to give it a go
Here in Belgium I only find the procion and dylon dye
the instruction sais that I should dry it in the oven
or is a dryer enough
REPLY
29shane darby February 3, 2013 at 7:21 am
hey here peoe How easy is it to dye green in to a nice red is it possible?
REPLY
30Carla February 3, 2013 at 2:56 pm
You made dying something I would try! After reading the directions on the Rit bottle I
felt overwhelmed and thought it would be a mess. You step by step easy directions
allowed me to dye items have wanted to dye for months. Thank you so much!
REPLY
31marla February 4, 2013 at 6:33 pm
Ive been looking/hoping for instructions like this! Thanks so much! I get it now. )
REPLY
32D2G February 8, 2013 at 8:38 pm
This was AWESOME!! I combined instructions for setting the dye by using the vinegar
soak after washing/drying the dyed garment and then washing/drying again and
then ironing. The garment looks great and does not bleed at all! Thanks for the tips to
actually dyeing, it was easy using your step by step instructions.
REPLY
33Tammy March 15, 2013 at 11:24 am
Hi Dana I want to dye my old curtains & they are 100% polyester, they are a light
gold & want to dye them grey. I was going to use the color remover first then the
dye color but i noticed on the package not recommended for polyester do u think it
will work. Any suggestions would be appreciated
Thank you,
Tammy
REPLY
34SHondra April 22, 2013 at 4:34 pm
Weird question perhaps but I am interested in dyeing a beco infant carrier. It has a
flower print on it and the rest of the fabric is purple. I want to dye it more of a neutral
color (black or brown) since a baby boy will be in it:) is that possible to do without
destroying the print totally or will it simply turn the entire piece the dyed color? If u
google beco carrier Nathalie print u can see what I mean.
Thanks
REPLY
35Krissy June 8, 2013 at 11:22 pm
I have the exact same carrier and the same question! I was thinking of trying blue
dye first to see if it would work. Leg me know if it works for you!
REPLY
36Krissy June 8, 2013 at 11:22 pm
I have the exact same carrier and the same question! I was thinking of trying blue
dye first to see if it would work. Let me know if it works for you!
REPLY
37Anamika May 23, 2013 at 6:41 am
Hi,
This is simple and easy to understand.
Am from India. Wanted to learn so many things but classes are expensive. Having a
great time getting my feet wet, now with free tutes from all over the world. Saving
everything i like dont know if Id be able to finish them all in this lifetime though !
Thanks again dear you made my day my 7 year old son has quite a few tees
that hes bored of will dye one to begin with.. am sure hes going to love it!
REPLY
38tasneem June 16, 2013 at 4:03 am
thanks a lot i was so nervous before .but now i am clear minded
REPLY
39candy June 17, 2013 at 9:30 pm
I have a funny story. I have been looking for a pale pink sweater to wear to a
wedding in a few weeks, but couldnt find one the right shade. So I bought an
inexpensive white one and decided to dye it. I finally got up my courage after
reading this blog/tutorial. I wanted it to be very pale so I only added 1/4 cup of dye
to the hot water. I put the sweater in the dye and it immediately turned the color I
wanted. I left it in the water to soak for a little while longergot distracted watching
TV and when I looked down there is a dark pink edge all around the bottom of the
sweater. It is as even as if it was meant to be that way. It is going to be so cute!
Thanks for the inspiration!
REPLY
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