Dip Dye Napkins and Tablecloth

SUPPLIES & TOOLS:

• six 18" x 18" 100% cotton napkins
• one 60" x 84" 100% cotton tablecloth
• large stock pot_x000B_Indigo Rit Dye_x000B_Rit Color Stay Dye Fixative_x000B_large plastic bucket_x000B_metal tongs_x000B_plastic table cloth_x000B_1 C salt_x000B_1 T liquid dish detergent_x000B_rubber gloves_x000B_clear tape

DIRECTIONS:

1. Protect work surface near stove top with plastic table cover or something similar.
2. Soak fiber to be dyed in a clean sink or large bowl of water.
3. Fill a large stock pot with enough water for fabric to move around freely. Heat on high heat. Add 1/2 of Indigo dye bottle when water begins to simmer and then turn heat down to medium heat. Add 1/2 cup of salt and 1/2 Tbsp of liquid dish detergent and mix well.
4. Dip one cloth napkin in at a time to desired depth. If you want all of them to look similar, you can pre-fold each napkin and mark the highest dye line with tape, although dye will bleed up slightly as it soaks into fiber.
5. Gently lift the napkin in and out of the pot to the desired dye line for five minutes. Then lower your dye line by about 1" and lift the napkin in and out of the pot to that dye line for about five minutes. Then lower your dye line about 1" more and repeat. This will allow for a more subtle dip-dye effect. Don't rush this step or try to do all six napkins at once or they may rub dye on each other above dye lines.
6. Rinse with cool water until dye runs clear.
7. Mix Rit Color Stay Dye Fixative in a large plastic tub full of water.
8. Only dip the dyed portion of fabric into a plastic tub or dye will bleed onto white fabric. Keep the dyed portion in the tub for 20 minutes. Water may turn blue as unbonded dye is rinsed off. Don't panic, it's ok.
9. Rinse in cool water.
10. Wash in cool water with mild detergent, tumble dry low.
11. Add rest of Indigo dye to dye pot and refill water to desired length as some has likely dissolved. Add rest of salt and rest of liquid dish detergent to dye. Continue heating on medium heat until you reach a simmer.
12. To dye your tablecloth along long edges, fold it half lengthwise. Then accordion fold it about six times and repeat steps for dip dyeing napkins.