Hand-dyed fabric has become so popular this last few years. I remember when I opened (eight years ago!) it was difficult to get a hold of, and not a lot of designers were using it yet. Now, almost everyone is using hand-dyed linens. Some designers are producing kits with their own hand-dyed linens. And now that more stitchers are branching out into hand-dyed fabrics, I get questions about them frequently.

I remember the first year I was in business, a woman ordered some Green Mt. hand-dyed linen, and when she received it, she called to say it was "ruined." All of the variations and splotches, she thought, looked messy, and she ended up sending it back. Most hand-dyed fabric junkies know that the variations are what make these fabrics so much fun. Each piece is different, and it's fun to see how the fibers and buttons look on these fabrics. Some hand-dyed fabrics, though, have no variation at all; Lakeside Linens dyes half of their fabrics to be solid-colored. Their "Vintage" fabrics have that hand-dyed look. Because the fabrics can vary, if you're planning on multiple "matching" pieces, make sure to buy enough for all of the projects at one time.

Different factors contribute to these variances in color. Humidity and type of fabric can affect the way a dye is taken by fabric. Did you know that even the water can change a fabric? If a dye company uses the same process with water from a different community, they may get a significantly different product. And of course natural dyes can vary, for obvious reasons. Coffees and teas are used most commonly for dyeing fabric, but other natural plant and animal products are used to naturally dye fabrics.

Each fabric company has its own instructions for the handling of fabrics, depending on their dyeing methods. R&R Reproductions, for example, recommends that you NOT store their linens in a plastic bag or clipped onto plastic Q-Snaps; the color may change in these environments. Most companies discourage washing of the fabrics, especially dark colors. Sometimes dyes can bleed or fade when exposed to water. Keep your hands clean when stitching, and keep your project somewhere safe when you've put it down.

Companies use different base fabrics, too, when dyeing. In fact, you can get hand-dyed fabrics from 10 count Tula all of the way up to 48 count linen. The hand-dyed Tulas are especially lovely and soft. I really enjoy the hand-dyed linens which use Zweigart base fabrics. They are soft and supple to the touch.

As with anything that is a specialty product, sometimes hand-dyed fabrics are difficult to come by. Anything that is a color for a hot/new design can be a bit of a wait. Dyeing takes a tremendous amount of time, as fabrics are often dyed just a half a yard at a time or so. The fabrics have to be allowed time to take the dye, then dry, and then be ironed, serged, folded, labeled, packaged, and shipped. Often, the fabric companies are just a few people working to supply the entire industry with enough fabric for designs. Delays in base fabric shipments from the linen companies can also add time to the whole process.

If you haven't used hand-dyed fabrics, give them a try. They make even simple projects look like something special. And they make fabulous projects look even more so.

© 2007 Theresa Venette. Articles on this site may be reproduced in needlework group newsletters or other handouts with permission of author and proper attribution. Send questions, comments and suggestions to: xspeddler@yahoo.com