Let's get started!

Your fabric must be clean and not oily or greasy feeling. We highly recommend pre-washing your silk with the Dharma Detergent.

Mordanting

Next we need to mordant the silk so the dye will fix to it. Mix 4.5 Tablespoons of alum (aluminum potassium sulfate) with about a quart of boiling water to dissolve. Add to a dye pot large enough to hold your fabric. Fill the dye pot with room temperature water and stir well. Add fabric to the dye pot and stir gently while bringing the heat up to 200°F. Hold at this temperature for 45 minutes rotating the fabric occasionally and allow to cool so you can handle it. Wearing gloves remove the fabric from the dye pot, drain and rinse briefly. You are now ready to start dyeing. You may mordant on one day and dye the next or mordant and dye in the same day. If you are mordanting in advance, store the mordanted fabric in a plastic bag in a cool place for up to one week.

Dyeing

Measure out the desired amount of dye, we used 2 tablespoon for a slightly darker medium shade. Check the tables on the product instructions tabs for more suggested amounts and color mixing recipes.

Add the dye to the pot filled with enough water so the fabric moves easily without excessive crowding. Stir the pot so the dye is evenly dispersed. Add the silk to the pot.

Begin heating the pot until it reaches 85-90°F. Stir occasionally, gently to avoid splashing. Hold at this temperature for 30 minutes.

Bring the heat up to 180-200°F and hold for 30-45 minutes. The dyebath should look very light or nearly clear (exhausted). You may let the fabric cool in the dyebath until it is safe to handle. Rinse the dyed fabric in warm water.

If the dyebath still contains a lot of dye, add ¼ cup white vinegar and continue a low simmer for another 30 minutes, then let cool overnight in the dyebath. Rinse in cool water with a little detergent to get all excess dye off.

Lounge around in your lovely new silk jammies set!