Also, I've noticed that mercerized cottons come out much darker and brighter than non mercerized.
Something else to try!
I'm very very lucky to be going to Colorado this week to do the dyeing class with Justin and Ricky.
I'm hoping to come back with lots of wonderful hand-dyes to add to my growing pile. It's so much
fun dyeing fabric, almost more fun than making quilts from it.

Kathy

Sounds like your lighter fabric would make some great background fabric!

I have read all your posts and I think something might be missing. No one mentions temperature and living in a not so hot place I found out this is essential for the color to fix. I was very frustrated, when I began dyeing, but when I found this website, http://www.pburch.net/ , it helped a lot. I think you can get all answers to your problems there. Good luck, it's so much fun to make your own fabric.

I just took a dyeing class from a member of my guild this past Tuesday. I'd taken the QU class a couple of years ago but didn't get the greatest results. We used PFD fabric and she pre-mixed the dye powders for us. We did 12 fat quarters, the last 2 being tie-dyed, and got fantastic results. With her method, we only had to soak the dyed fabric in the soda ash water for 1 hour and the dye was fixed. I can see myself using this method a lot!

All great advice. Another thing I started doing was adding a little soda ash to the dye mixture. It has to be used right away but it does seem to help retain the color.

Glad to hear you are getting closer to the results you want. Have fun and enjoy the journey. Betty Ann

Bettyann,
I got a chance this weekend to try dyeing again and I took your advice of adding more dye and adding salt to my recipe. My fabric pieces came out much better!! Now I just need to work on blending the colors on the fabric. Thanks for the help

Maria

I guess the only thing I can add is that I was taught that dyes (once they are mixed) have a shelf life. But, if you had just mixed the dye and you used soda ash...I don't know.

When I have dyed fabric, I soaked my pre-washed cotton fabric in a soda-ash solution for 20 minutes. I then squeezed out the excess solution, before dying the fabric.

I then leave the dyed fabric 12-24 hours before rinsing.

I've had no problem with vibrant colours.

The soda ash solution can be re-used multiple times.

Karen

Thanks Betty Ann, I will try that.

Bunny, I did look at that Quilt University class. Maybe I will enroll also. It looks like you need a lot of fabric and a lot of dye though...

There's your problem. Use tablespoons not teaspoons. More dye will get you more color. Wet fabric will appear darker. Some lightening will happen when you dry and iron your fabric.

I am about to begin the Quilt University dyeing course. You may want to check it out.

Hi. Betty Ann, thanks for the reply. I have been usin the PFD Kona Cotton from Kauffamn. (I should have mentioned that) I have not yet tried adding the non iodized salt. Do you use the same type of dyes? What is the mixtrue you use when dyeing? I have been using 1-2 tsp of dye per 1 cup of water. Thanks

I've been doing some microwave dyeing with ordinary Dylon dyes and salt. Fab results with no fuss. Have you considered other ways of dyeing?