Spray dyeing fabric with Rit dyes for a designer look

Yesterday I showed you how to use ice-dyeing techniques to create original fabric designs. Today we’ll look at another quick method to create some designer fabric with Rit dyes – spray dyeing!

Here’s how!

Rinse your PFD (prepared for dyeing) fabric in water and wring it out. I used fat quarters or fat eighths.

Place a small amount of 2 or 3 colors of liquid Rit dye in small spray bottles.

Lay fabric flat on a plastic sheet.

Spray colors as desired on the fabric. Let the fabric sit for about 20 minutes to allow it to absorb the dye.

Fabric sprayed with Rit liquid dyes

Put 2 tablespoons (T) of Rit ColorStay Dye Fixative in a small spray bottle and add about ½ cup of water. Spray liberally on both sides of the dyed fabric.

Rit ColorStay Dye Fixative

Just as with ice dyeing, heat is needed to set the dye. After applying ColorStay Dye Fixative, wrap the fabric in plastic wrap and seal the edges. Place the wrapped fabric on a paper towel in the microwave and heat for 1 or 2 minutes on high. Watch carefully so the fabric doesn’t burn. The plastic will puff up, creating a heat chamber that helps bond the dye with the fabric. Remove the fabric from the microwave and open the plastic, letting it cool down. If a microwave isn’t available or feasible to use, and it’s a hot sunny day, lay the wrapped fabric out in the sun for an hour.

Rinse the fabric in cool water until the rinse water runs clear. If you wish, wash in cold water with a mild detergent, rinse and dry.

You can also try spraying the dye on the fabric and then spreading it around with a paintbrush. I used dark green, red, and yellow dyes on this fabric.

Green, red, and yellow Rit dyes painted on fabric

After the dye has been set for about 20 minutes, spray with Rit ColorStay Dye Fixative mixed with water in a small spray bottle. Set the color in the microwave as described above.

Here are 2 pieces of my spray-painted fabric. I think they’ll be perfect to use as a background for applique!

2 finished spray-painted fabrics

Here are 2 more pieces of spray-painted fabrics.

2 more finished spray-painted fabrics

As you continue to explore using Rit dyes, you might like to try mixing your own colors. Check out this page on the Rit Dye website that gives you formulas for mixing dozens of different colors. Just click on a color and the formula comes up.

Join me again tomorrow as I show you how to use the OmniArc Circle Cutter and some dyed fabric to create another unique design.

This is part 4 of 5 in this series

Go back to part 3: Ice dyeing creates unique fabric for your quilted projects [free tutorial]

Go to part 5: Use the OmniArc Circle Cutter Ruler to create unique designs

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