Message: Hi! I'm a freelance photographer and I'm trying my hand at dyeing muslin for backdrops instead of paying $200+ for one already dyed. My piece of muslin is 10'x24' and I like the look of your Low Water Immersion Dyeing and I'm using all-purpose dye. I was wondering how I should dry the piece after I dye it? And if you say in the dryer, will it mess up my home dryer? Any other tips you may have for this large piece of muslin would be greatly appreciated too! THANKS! Barbara

Why, oh why are you using all-purpose dye? Please don't! All-purpose dye is distinctly inferior on cotton. It is inevitably dull in color, and it must be cooked to make it attach well to the fabric, and it is never very wash-proof. It will not work at room temperature! You should get a better dye, instead, such as Procion MX fiber reactive dye.

You can use all-purpose dye for Low Water Immersion if you get a HUGE cooking pot, stuff your backdrop into the pot with the dye bath, and simmer it at 190 degrees Fahrenheit for half an hour. Then you must carefully hand-wash and line dry - don't bother with machine washing anything that has been dyed with all-purpose dye. It tends to wash out. Oh, and never use that cooking pot for cooking food ever again, as non-food dye is not safe to use in food preparation equipment.

If, instead, you want to use the easy, room-temperature recipe for Low Water Immersion, you must buy some decent dye. Forget about all-purpose dye. Throw it away. It is junk.

There are several different types of dye that are good on cotton, but all are in the class called cool water fiber reactive dyes. The most popular type in the US is Procion MX dye. You can sometimes find this dye in superior art supply stores, but most dyers mail-order it, for great savings on bulk costs. Use any of the dye companies listed on my Sources for Supplies page. Here is a direct link to Procion MX dye at Fiber-Arts.com. They have many dozens of different color mixtures for you to chose from.

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