Name: Tricia
Message: Could you please tell me if it is possible to tie dye a large item like king size cotton flannel sheets to make into a comforter? Do I just buy the needed products from a craft store?

Yes, it is very possible. It is easier to dye the sheets before sewing them together with batting into a comforter. If they are cotton, they will dye well using fiber reactive dyes, such as Procion MX dye.

Should you buy the ingredients from a craft store? It depends on the quality of your local crafts store. Some sell excellent tie dye kits, though they tend to contain only small amounts of dye. (You should weigh your sheets and allow about half an ounce (15 grams) of dye per pound of cotton.) Others recommend the use of inferior dyes, such as all-purpose dye. I strongly recommend against the use of all-purpose dye for tie-dyeing, especially large items, because good results require extensive simmering in a near-boiling dyebath. Fiber reactive dyes, in contrast, need only room temperature to bind to the fabric.

You will need Procion MX dye, soda ash, and urea in order to follow the standard tie-dyeing recipe. A tie-dye kit will provide only the three primary colors, yellow, cyan, and magenta. If you want a more subtle palette of colors, or to match the colors in your room, you may prefer to order specific colors from a company such as ProChem, or other good sources for supplies.

In addition to tie-dyeing, you should also consider the technique of low water immersion dyeing, which is easier than tie-dyeing but has great results.