How To Dip Dye Macrame

Instructions

1. To achieve an ombre effect, use two different colors of Rit dye. Mix each color in a separate bucket according to package instructions. For this project, I used purple and indigo.

2. Be sure to cover your work area and floor with cardboard or a plastic tarp for protection. It is also a good idea to wear plastic gloves.

3. Also, before starting, submerge your macramé project in plain water; it absorbs the dye much easier if it is wet.

4. Once the wall hanging is fully damp, dip it into the lightest color about two-thirds of the way up. Cotton rope absorbs dye readily, so I only had to keep the wall hanging in about 15 minutes.

5. Next, I lifted it out of the dye about 8″ and left the rest in for 15 minutes longer. I probably should have kept the first dip in for less time to have a more pronounced difference. Next, I switched to the bucket of indigo dye and only dipped it in about one-third of the way up; I kept it in for about 45 minutes.

6. Finally, I lifted the tapestry out, leaving only the bottom part submerged in the indigo dye. I left it in for another hour.

7. You have to just experiment with different colors and times. The two colors I chose were both fairly dark, so the contrast was not as great had I used a light dye and a dark one. Nonetheless, I was still pleased with the subtle ombre effect.