How to Dye With Procion MX

Immersion dyeing is a time-honored practice, made very easy by modern fiber-reactive dyes such as Procion MX.

Procion MX dyes are safe, easy-to-use dyes that are wash-fast and color-fast, when used on cellulose fibers such as cotton and rayon. There are many ways to dye with them, including painting directly on pre-treated fabric, but the easiest way to dye with them is immersion dyeing of a length of fabric. Although simple, this method produces surprisingly rich and beautiful cloth.

Things You'll Need

• 4 Tablespoons Procion MX dye powder
• Dust mask or respirator
• 5 gallon bucket
• 4 cups salt
• 1/6 cup soda ash per gallon
• 4 gallons warm water
• Pint-size plastic container
• 2-4 yards cotton fabric, prewashed
• Plastic bag big enough to hold fabric
• Rubber gloves

Instructions

1. Put on your dust mask or respirator and your rubber gloves. Put the salt and soda ash into the bucket. Add the warm water and stir until dissolved. Take out 1 cup of this solution and put it in the plastic container. Add the dye powder and shake until dissolved. Pour the dye solution back into the bucket and stir.

2. Push the pre-washed fabric down into the dyebath until it is submerged. Leave it in the dyebath for fifteen minutes to three hours. Stir every now and then if you want a more uniform dye job. You will get interesting tie-dye effects the less you stir.

3. Take the fabric out of the dyebath when it reaches an intensity slightly darker than you desire. (The fabric will lighten somewhat as it dries.) Take the wet fabric out and put it in a plastic bag. Keep the plastic bag warm (between 75 and 95 degrees) for 24-48 hours.

4. Wash the fabric in the washing machine with detergent and warm water. Then wash again in hot water. Keep washing and rinsing until the rinse runs clear and all the excess dye has washed away.

Tips & Warnings

• If you don't have a specific color darkness in mind, simply leave the fabric in the bucket in a warm place for 24-48 hours. You can over-dye the fabric with a different color after washing and drying the fabric.

• It is important to pre-wash the fabric in hot water and detergent before dyeing. Some fabrics have a finish on them that prevents the dye from adhering, and it must be washed off.

• Be sure to wear a dust mask or respirator when handling dye powders.

References

• "Complex Cloth"; Dunnewold; 1996