Supplies
- White Cotton Sheets
- Rit All-Purpose Liquid Dye: Jet Black, Hyacinth, Rose Quartz, Aquamarine, Scarlet, Neon Green, Tangerine, Pearl Grey, Lemon Yellow
- 5 Gallon Plastic Container
- Measuring Cup
- Large Spoon
- Salt
- Liquid Dish Detergent
- Protective Gloves
- Plastic Table Cover
Time
1 HourTotal:
Difficulty
Beginner
Instructions
- Cover table with plastic. Gather supplies.
- Estimate the weight of the sheet to determine how much dye to use. As a guideline, 1/2 bottle of liquid dye will color up to one pound of dry weight fabric.
- Prewash sheet, rinse and leave wet. This will help remove any finishes that may interfere with dye absorption.
- If you have a washing machine, you can easily dye your sheet using our washing machine method. Follow these instructions. If you don’t have a washing machine available or prefer to use a large container, follow the steps below.
- To prepare dyebath: Fill a large plastic container with enough hot water for the sheet to move freely. Make sure the water is very hot, ideally 140°F. If water is not hot enough, heat water on stove top and add to the dyebath.
- Shake dye bottle well before pouring. Wearing protective gloves, add the dye. Start with 1/2 cup of dye and test the color. Test dye color by dipping a paper towel in the dyebath. If color is too light, add more dye. If color is too dark, add more water.
- Starting at the top left and working across the photo, the colors used to dye the sheets are: Jet Black (from the Back to Black Dye Kit), Hyacinth, Rose Quartz, Aquamarine, Scarlet, Neon Green, Tangerine, Pearl Grey and Lemon Yellow.
- Add 1 cup of salt to the dyebath; stir well. Salt will help intensify the color.
- Add a squirt of liquid dish detergent. Stir well.
- Immerse wet sheet into dyebath. Stir constantly for 30 minutes or until desired color is achieved (up to one hour). Sheet will appear darker when wet and prior to washing.
- Rinse sheets under cold water until the rinse water runs clear. Then wash in warm water with mild detergent, rinse and dry.
- Once dry, determine where to cut holes for your eyes. Once holes are cut, the sheet is ready to wear. Happy Halloween!
