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8 Fabric Dyeing Techniques

By Clara

There are so many fabric dyeing techniques that produce gorgeous and diverse results. Today, I’ll show you 8 different fabric dyeing methods with video tutorials.

All of these techniques are demonstrated using Rit Dye, which is an all-purpose dye, but you can also use other types of dye like fiber reactive dyes to get the same results. Just check your dye’s instructions to figure out how much to use, how long to keep it in the dye bath, water temperature, how to fix it, etc.

For the basic method of dyeing fabric a solid color with Rit Dye, see our Rit All-Purpose Fabric Dye Product Guide and Rit DyeMore Synthetic Fiber Dye Product Guide.

You can find all our tutorials and guides about dyeing here.

1. Shibori Tie-Dye with Rubber Bands Fabric Dyeing Technique

This tutorial shows you how to dye fabric using the Shibori tie-dye technique. There are many ways to tie the fabric, which can lead to unpredictable and beautiful results. This video shows 3 ways to tie the fabric with rubber bands to get different patterns.

2. Shibori Tie-Dye with Stitch Resist Fabric Dyeing Technique

For the Shibori stitch resist technique, use thread to stitch any design or pattern you can think of onto the fabric, from simple lines to complex patterns.

3. Shibori Pole Dyeing Technique

This tutorial shows you how to dye fabric using the Shibori pole dyeing method, which creates a striped pattern. You can experiment by wrapping the pole in different ways and using different colors of dye.

4. Shibori Folding Technique

This DIY tutorial demonstrates how to dye fabric using the Shibori folding technique. You can customize the dyeing pattern by folding the fabric in different ways, using clamps, and using multiple dye colors.

5. Ombre Dip Dye Technique

This tutorial shows you how to dye fabric using the Ombré dip dye technique. Creating a color gradient using this method is easy, and you can use it on many different items like clothes and pillow covers.

6. No-Wax Batik Technique

This tutorial shows you how to dye fabric with the no-wax batik technique, which uses glue instead of wax. You can experiment with different colors of dye and create any design you can think of.

7. Low Water Immersion Fabric Dyeing Technique

This tutorial shows you how to dye fabric using the low water immersion technique. To get a subtle effect, use a larger container and more water. You can vary the results by using multiple colored dyes.

8. Painting Fabric with Dye – Watercolor Technique

This tutorial shows you how to dye fabric by painting the dye by hand onto the fabric. You can create beautiful watercolor effects and combine this method with other fabric dyeing methods for a truly unique look.

UPDATE: We’ve added some more techniques since publishing this list, so be sure to check out Ice Dyeing and Marble Dyeing too!

There are endless variations of these fabric dyeing techniques, and you can also combine them to create complex designs. Fabric dyeing is all about experimenting, so try different things and you’ll come out with some unexpected and unique results!

If you’re wondering what I did with all these dyed fabrics, I made a quilt! See this DIY Herringbone Quilt Tutorial to see how.

Want to try it out? Find fabric dye here.