How to Dye Fabric With Rit Dye

Rit Dye has been available to American homemakers and crafters for almost 100 years. The Found in Mom's Basement website features a 1919 ad by the Sunbeam Chemical Company encouraging frugal homemakers to give their dingy cotton clothes new life with Rit Dye for just 10 cents a box. By the 1950s, Rit Dye was no longer popular with homemakers. Clothing designer Halston in the 1960s started featuring tie-dyed clothing. According to the Peace, Love and Tie-Dye website, tie-dye became the look of a whole generation, saving the Rit Dye brand from extinction. Rit Dye can still give dingy clothes or thrift shop finds a new and colorful life.

Things You'll Need

• Cotton clothes
• 1 package Rit Dye powder
• 1 bottle Rit Liquid Dye
• Stove
• Long-handled spoon

Instructions

1. Pre-wash the fabric. Remove any factory-applied finishes to new clothing and any dirt from used clothing before dyeing the cloth. The Rit Dye site recommends using the stove-top method if you are dyeing your clothes dark colors (such as black) or doing a small amount of dyeing.

2. Fill a large pot 3/4 full with tap water. Set it on the stove on medium-high. Bring the water to a gentle simmer.

3. Dissolve the powdered dye in 2 cups of hot tap water. Once dissolved, add the premixed powdered dye to the simmering water in the pot. If using liquid dye, pour 1/2 of the bottle into the simmering water. According to the Rit Dye website, 1 package of powered dye (dissolved in 2 cups hot water) or 1/2 bottle of liquid dye plus 3 gallons of water will dye up to 1 lb. of fabric. Stir well once the dye mix is added to the water.

4. Dampen the clothes by submerging them in a large bowl of hot tap water. Shake any wrinkles out of the dampened clothes. Add the clothes to the dye bath.

5. Stir the clothes in the dye for 30 minutes. The Rite Dye website suggests using a "back and forth, up and down" motion while stirring.

6. Remove the clothes from the pot. Rinse them under warm running water. Gradually cool the water and continue rinsing until running water runs clear. Use your washing machine to set the color by washing the dyed items in warm water and rinsing with cold water. Hang or machine dry the newly dyed clothes.

Tips & Warnings

• Rit Dye recommends machine dyeing for large pieces of fabric like curtains or bed spread (see Resources).

References

• Found in Mom's Basement: Vintage Ad for Rit dye, 1919
• Rit Dye: Dyeing Techniques, Stove Top
• Alley Cat Scratch: Changing the Color of Fabrics / Dye Your Fabrics

Resources

• Rit Dye: Machine Dyeing