Tip: Fabric dyeing techniques

Give your bed linen a fresh new look with these dyeing techniques.

The art of shibori
Shibori is a Japanese term that’s used to describe the age-old practice of binding, stitching, folding, twisting or compressing fabric, then dyeing it to create a pattern. In the West, some of these methods are known as tie-dyeing.

You will need
Washed white cotton fabric; fabric dye (we used Drimarene X from Batik Oetoro, call (02) 9398 6201; www.dyeman.com); rubber bands, large metal spoon, plastic bucket, rubber gloves (all from supermarkets).

1. To create the pattern of the striped cushion, fold a piece of fabric into vertical pleats so that it resembles an accordion. Use rubber bands to tightly tie the folded fabric at regular intervals. For the circular pattern, grab handfuls of fabric and scrunch it into teepee shapes, then wrap two rubber bands around each one.
2. To dye the fabric an aqua colour, we used a green hot-water fibre-reactive dye at a reduced strength. Strong and colour-fast, this product is suitable for dyeing cotton, silk, jute and hessian. However, it cannot be used for synthetics or fabric that has been coated with resin or a drip-dry finish. Once mixed, this dye is cool enough to use with the batik method (see ‘To dye for’, October 2006 issue of Notebook:).
3. For every 100 grams of fabric, you will need: 2 litres of cool tap water; 1g dye dissolved in cold water (or up to 4g for a darker colour); 80g salt dissolved in hot water; 30g soda ash (from Batik Oetoro, as before) dissolved in boiling water. Wearing rubber gloves, use a large metal spoon to combine all the dye components in a large bucket. Add the fabric and set aside to soak, stirring regularly, for 1 hour. Rinse in cold water, then in hot water. Drip dry.

Tips for successful dyeing

• The final colour will depend on the type of fabric you use, the weight of the fabric when dry, and the original colour of the fabric.
• Wash fabric or garments before dyeing to remove any dressings or stains.
• If dyeing garments, check the labels for fabric type and special-care instructions. Garments that require dry-cleaning or special care may have a special finish that will prevent the dye being absorbed.
• Always wear rubber gloves when dyeing fabric.
• If using Drimarene X for batik dyeing, do not leave the fabric in the dye for more than 1 hour – the chemicals in the dye will start to break down the wax after a couple of hours, causing it to erode.
• Depending on the colour, fabric dyes will not always cover stains, faded areas or bleach marks. They cannot be used to cover patterns, but over-dyeing may result in some interesting effects.

Tips for batik dyeing

• Whatever shape you choose to stamp your fabric with, make sure it’s made of metal or timber (dowelling or balsawood are good options, and are available from hardware stores). Avoid plastic as it will melt. 
• Don’t pour waste water containing wax down the drain as it will harden and clog the pipes. Fabric dyes can be safely disposed of down the drain.

Production & styling: Angela Haughton. Photography: Scott Hawkins.