How to dye your old clothes with Alice Temperley

Alice Temperley shows you how to dye your old clothes
Alice Temperley on dying your old clothes
Rachael Dove19 March 2020

Choose items that are made from natural fibres: cotton, viscoses, silks (it doesn’t have to be white), as they take dye really well. Stainless steel bowls are best for mixing and you’ll also need gloves and a saucepan that’s not precious.

Soak your chosen item in the bath for 24 hours beforehand so that it’s thoroughly saturated.

Gather your dyes and fixers (the fixer is key as it helps the chemical reaction that makes these dyes become part of the fabric). I use natural dyes from Fibrecrafts (georgeweil.com); I like madder and cochineal, which are beautiful reds, and logwood blue. Instead of using a hardcore chemical synthetic acid fixer (which stinks and is bad for everything), use cider vinegar, which works well as a natural acid substitute.

Alice Temperley guides you on how to dye your clothes properly

All quantities of dye are advised by Fibrecraft based on the weight of your garment. I am never really too accurate and I add more if I am not getting the colours I want.

Dissolve the dyes in boiling water in a glass jug or bucket and stir it really well (there should be no powder or globules). I leave my dyes to soak for a few hours beforehand as I think it helps the deepness of colour.

Fill your large saucepan with warm water and add half a cup of vinegar – as it’s natural you can’t really over do it. Heat until it is hot to the touch, then add the pre-dissolved dye through a sieve so all the lumpy bits are taken away.

The finished products

Everything needs to be stirred and mixed perfectly. Put the garment in the saucepan (silks shrink down to almost nothing) and keep it moving so that it is dyed evenly. How dark the piece comes out depends on the amount of dye you add to the vat.

Put the garment in the bath and rinse with hot and then cold water. Again, always keep it moving. When the water runs clear hang it out to dry. Experiment with dip-dying (leave the last bit of your fabric in the dye for longer), and fabrics that are stitched and embroidered. Most of all, have fun with it.

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