Commercial Dyes

• The easiest and most permanent method of tie-dying fabrics is to purchase powdered dye and mix it with water as per the directions on the package. Make sure to wear rubber gloves. Create designs by twisting the fabric or fastening it around marbles with rubber bands. Place the item in the dye for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove it and rinse in cold water, wringing and rinsing until the water run clear. Remove the rubber-bands and marbles and let the fabric air dry.
  
  

Kool-Aid Dyes

• Rubber Gloves
  
  Unsweetened Kool-Aid also may be used to tie-dye. For each color, combine one packet of unsweetened Kool-Aid mix with 1 oz. of white vinegar in a small plastic bowl. Mix until all the powder dissolves. Twist the fabric and fasten with rubber bands to create designs; dip the rubber-banded ends into the Kool-Aid. Wear rubber gloves to avoid staining your hands. Once the fabric has been dyed, the color must be set by pressing the fabric with an iron set on medium-high. Place a piece of cloth between the iron and the dyed fabric. Let the dyed fabric set for 24 hours before washing it.
  
  

Natural Dyes

• Cochineal Dyepot
  
  Dyes made from natural resources such as plants, minerals and insects such as the cochineal, can be used to tie-dye, but the dyes are less permanent and more difficult to apply than synthetic dyes.
  
  Cotton, the choice of fabric for most tie-dyers, is not as suitable for natural dyes as fabrics such as wool or silk. Some suitable natural dyes for cotton are annato, cutch and logwood. These natural dyes require mordants like tannic acid to attach to the fibers. A mordant is a re-agent that fixes the dye to the fabric.
  
  Indigo is another natural dye that adheres well to cotton but is a vat dye and more difficult to use.
  
  To make natural dye, gather whatever berry, blossom, bark or root that will make the desired color and chop it into small pieces. Place the chopped pieces in a pot and add twice as much water as you have plant material. Bring the mixture to a boil and then let it simmer for about one hour.
  
  While the mixture simmers, prepare the fabric. It must soak in a color fixative before it is dyed. For berry dyes use a salt fixative of 8 cups of cold water and 1/2 cup of salt. For plant dyes, use 4 parts of cold water and 1 part vinegar. Place the fabric in the fixative and simmer for one hour. Rinse it in cold water, wringing and rinsing until the water runs clear.
  
  Remove the dye from the heat and strain it to remove particles. Return the liquid dye to the pot. Place the wet fabric in the dye and simmer until the desired color is obtained. Rinse in cold water.