Ombre, a popular dying technique, gives a subtle, ethereal look to fabrics. Follow a dip dye technique by submerging more and more of the fabric to get the desired results. With this budget-friendly DIY you can bring new life to curtains, pillow cases, and more with our step by step instructions.
You'll need a variety of supplies, including your dye color of choice, salt, soda ash, and urea powder. Soda ash, also known as sodium carbonate, is used in the dying process as a way to make your fabrics more colorfast, while urea powder will slow down the drying process, allowing more time for dye absorption.
Here's what you'll need per pound of dry fabric:
What You'll Need
Equipment / Tools
- measuring cups and spoons
- 2 5-gallon buckets or plastic containers
- rubber gloves
- 2-3-cup plastic mixing container
- ruler
- string
- 2 binder clips
- stool
- spring clamp
Materials
- 1/4 cup professional textile detergent
- 1/3 cup soda ash
- 1 tbsp urea powder
- 1 to 2 tbsp fiber-reactive dye
- 3 cups noniodized salt
Instructions
Clean Fabric
Wash fabric with professional textile detergent, following manufacturer instructions. Combine soda ash and 3 gallons of warm water in a bucket, stirring until dissolved.
Soak Fabric in Soda Ash
Submerge fabric in soda ash mixture. Do not overstuff; instead, soak only fabric that easily fits in bucket. Allow fabric to soak in soda ash mixture for at least 30 minutes.
Mix Urea Powder
Combine urea powder and 1 cup warm water in a mixing cup. Pour a few tablespoons of urea mixture into a plastic mixing container with fiber-reactive dye in bottom. Work the powder and urea water into a smooth paste, then stir in the rest of the urea mixture to make a concentrate.
Add Salt
Add salt to 3 gallons of warm water in your dyeing tub, stirring until dissolved.
Add Dye
To create the lightest shade in your ombre pattern, add about 1/3 cup dye concentrate to saltwater and stir.
Clean Sides of Tub
Wipe the inside of dye tub to prevent unwanted dye marks on fabric.
Create Hanger for Fabric
Create a tool to help you hold your fabric longer by tying strings to two binder clips and then wrapping the string around a ruler. Wring out fabric and attach binder clips.
Dip Fabric
Dip fabric to desired point and hold for 10 minutes or until you reach preferred color intensity.
Wring Fabric
With clean, gloved hands, remove fabric from dye. Hold undyed end of fabric with one hand while wringing out excess dye with the other.
Set Fabric Aside
Place dyed fabric on a clean surface protected from the dyeing area.
Add More Dye
To create the next intensity of dye, pour about 1/3 cup of the dye concentrate into the dye tub and stir.
Dip Fabric Again
Dip fabric to desired point (we suggest several inches below your last dip point for a noticeable progression) and hold for twice the amount of time of first level or until you reach preferred color strength.
Re-Dip Fabric, Submerging More Each Time
Repeat steps 8 through 12, each time doubling the amount of dye you add and the amount of time you leave the fabric submerged. For more than three levels of ombre, you'll need to make more dye concentrate. Use a spring clamp and stool or ladder to hold fabric while dyeing if desired.
Rinse Fabric
Rinse fabric with cold running water until water runs clear.
Wring Fabric
Wring fabric again, squeezing out as much excess water and dye as possible.
Wash Fabric
Wash fabric in hot water using professional textile detergent. If you're unable to wash immediately, lay fabric flat on clean plastic wrap and wrap completely to prevent unwanted dye marks and drying.