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First, I think about how it feels, how it drapes, what the surface looks like, if it frays a lot, how it needles, both by hand and by machine. Then I make sure it will dye well.
I use Procion dyes, made for natural fibers. I use them because the dye creates a chemical bond with the cotton, very wash and light fast, safe and easy to use.
I have dyed all the fabric for all my quilts since the 1980s. It didn’t take long for me to find out that not all cottons dye alike. Teaching workshops, I discovered that people were worried they were doing something wrong, but it in most cases, was the fabric they were using. These two are a good example. They show results from two cottons low-water immersion dyed at the same time:
In the same container with the same color poured on them with the same stirring and soda solution
The fabric on the left cannot be dyed dark colors like navy or black.
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