Name: Patty
Message: My daughter and I would like to tie dye a comforter or bed spread. Any ideas on how to handle that big of a project?

You're right to think about this aspect in advance. You would be wise to test your technique beforehand by dyeing a t-shirt or pillow case.

The first thing to do is wash the comforter or bedspread. Obviously, a thin bedspread will be easier to handle than a thick comforter, and will require less dye. Also consider, instead, dyeing a 100% cotton duvet cover, to put a comforter inside.

If you can wash the comforter or bedspread in a washing machine, the project won't be too bad. Fiber reactive dye is by far the most suitable dye for your purposes. Don't use an all-purpose dye, such as Rit or Tintex, because results are poor unless you boil the fabric for half an hour in the dyebath - imagine boiling a whole comforter! - and are never as bright or colorfast, on cotton, as fiber reactive dye. The hardest part of fiber reactive dyeing is washing out the excess dye afterwards, which is easy to do only if you can use a washing machine. (Wash in cold water first, without detergent, and then two or three times in hot water with detergent.)

I recommend that you simplify the project by using only a limited number of colors. Even a single color can make a fine bedspread, with the white markings left by the rubber bands, and then you don't have to worry about inadvertably transferring a dark color to a lighter region and making a mess. If you take a thin bedspread, pull it up in the center, letting the rest hang down, and apply rubber bands *tightly* every six or eight inches, to make concentric circles, you can then apply color between each rubber band. Follow the instructions on How to Tie Dye and How to Dye, or ProChem's Tie-Dye Instructions .

Watch out for polyester content. 50% cotton 50% polyester will produce pastels; 100% polyester won't dye at all without special dyes and techniques. And, be sure to pre-wash thoroughly, and try to avoid permanent-press finishes, which can make the result paler than you want.