SUPPLIES & TOOLS:
• White 100% cotton dress
• Rit All-Purpose Liquid Dye: Evening Blue & Navy
• Rubber bands
• 15.5 Litres (4-Gallon) plastic tub or bucket
DIRECTIONS:
1. Cover table with plastic. Gather supplies.
Create a unique and effortless look for any summer dress with Shibori dyeing techniques. The perfect colour and pattern for your garment to keep you cool in the summer heat.
• Measuring cup
• Plastic or metal stirring spoon
• Salt
• Liquid dish detergent
• Rubber gloves
• Scissors
2. Pre-wash dress with detergent, rinse and leave wet.
3. Accordion fold or “fan fold” the dress lengthwise in approximately 2” wide folds down the length of the dress.
4. Then wrap rubber bands tightly at spaced intervals (about 1” apart or spaced as desired) along the length of the folded dress.
5. Set aside rubber-banded dress to prepare the dyebath.
6. To prepare dyebath: Fill large dye container with 11.4 litres (3 gallons) very hot water tap water (60ºC or 140F). If water is not hot enough, heat some water in a cook pot or teapot. Shake dye bottles before pouring. Wearing rubber gloves, add ½ cup of Evening Blue dye and approximately 2 tablespoons Navy dye to hot water. Stir well.
7. For cotton fabrics, add 1 cup of salt to dyebath. This helps to intensify the colour. Then add a squirt of liquid dish detergent. Stir well.
8. Test dye colour by dipping a paper towel into the dyebath. If colour is too light, add more dye (add more Navy for a darker blue); if colour is too dark, add more water.
9. Immerse rubber-banded dress into the dyebath. For a high contrast pattern, keep the dress in the dye for about 3 to 5 minutes to keep the bound up part dye-free.
• Paper towels
• Plastic table cover
• Mild detergent
• Rit ColorStay Dye Fixative (recommended)
For more colour and less white areas, let the dress in the dyebath for 10 to 20 minutes.
10. When the desired colour is achieved, remove the wrapped dress from the dyebath. Squeeze out excess dye. Do not remove the rubber bands.
11. Recommended: To enhance the colour and reduce colour bleeding, use Rit ColorStay Dye Fixative immediately after dyeing and before washing, following package instructions. Leave dress in fixative for 20 minutes.
12. Remove dress and carefully cut the rubber bands from the dress and unfold.
13. Rinse dress in cool water until rinse water begins to run clear.
14. Then wash the dress in warm water with mild detergent by hand or in your washing machine with an old towel, rinse and dry.