About DyeArtist Hand Dyed Fabric

About Us

Our hand-dyed fabrics are available in more than 600 standardized color (hue/value) choices. These are fabric colors that we normally carry and that are reproducible from dye lot to dye lot in conformity with textile industry norms. If you ever need a little more fabric to finish a project sometime in the future you can get more fabric of the same color with our standardized colors. We also hand dye fabric in literally thousands of other "one of a kind colors" using serendipity as our guide. Our fabric styles include value gradations, hue gradations, multicolor variegated, single color, over-dyed fabrics, and discharged fabrics. All of our fabric sets are created in numerous sizes to fit any project. Our secure shopping cart offers more than 1,500 items.

Like most material objects in this world, hand-dyed fabrics are available in many different kinds and levels of quality. The fabric with the lowest selling price does not necessarily provide you with the best value. One discerning buyer we know is correct when she says, "price is what you pay, but value is what you get". We know that you invest a lot of time working on your projects. As artisans, our mission is to offer you the finest hand-dyed fabrics available anywhere!

So what is it that makes DyeArtist^TM Fabrics different from other hand-dyed fabrics anyway?

Click on any of the small images above to see a close up view of the patterning and shading of our fabrics.

Most hand-dyed fabric is purchased because the buyer desires a handcrafted fabric with the mottled or patterned appearance that is characteristic of hand-dyed fabric instead of a commercially produced solid shade or print fabric. Some hand-dyed fabrics have "white space" which are areas of plain white fabric that were not dyed. These white areas can be undesirable when they detract from the finished appearance of items fashioned from them. On the other end of the spectrum, there are hand-dyed fabrics with very complete dye coverage BUT very little patterning, mottling, or shading. DyeArtist Fabrics display rich patterning AND have an absolute minimum of "white space". Virtually the entire surface of our fabric has dye coverage plus an incredibly high degree of patterning and shading. We believe our fabrics have the best patterning or mottling you'll find. We invite you to compare them with other hand-dyed fabrics for yourself!

When you hold our hand-dyed fabrics in your hands you'll immediately notice they have incredibly rich and vibrant pure colors (pure hues). While dyeing pastels and medium shades is very easy, many hand dyers have difficulty obtaining deep values, or high depth of shade, in pure hues. Some dyers mistakenly think that adding black dye to a dye mix is the way to dye fabric in deep shades. The problem with adding black to dye mixes is that it creates a totally different hue. By definition, a value gradation contains a range of values from light to dark in an identical hue. In order to obtain really deep values the dyer must get much more of the dye permanently bonded to the fabric fibers. This is much more costly to the dyer in both time and materials. For centuries fabric dyed in deep values has been available in limited supply, considered more desirable, and associated with high-end fashion apparel. We have mastered the art of hand dyeing fabrics in the deepest values of pure hues you'll find anywhere. Some of the steps of our gradations are such a deep and rich color they may appear dark on your computer monitor. When you see them in person you'll be amazed by the intensity and richness of the pure colors. Our value gradations contain a wide variety in values, or depth of shade, within a gradation set. Our value gradations come in sets of eight pieces of fabric each with a different value. Examining an individual value step in one of our gradations reveals that the rich shading is composed of many different values of complete dye coverage displayed together on one piece of fabric.

We have many different hand-dyed value gradations and medleys. All of the value gradations and medleys shown on our website are our standardized colors. Our standardized colors are colors that we can reproduce over time within textile industry norms. We are very pleased that we can usually provide you with more fabric of the same color regardless of whether you need it tomorrow, next month, or for years to come with our standardized colors.

We use a variety of dyeing techniques to create our fabrics. The techniques we use most often are low water immersion (LWI) and direct application. Phil worked for many years with the commercial textile industry prior to establishing DyeArtist Fabrics. This professional experience in the textile industry provided us with a valuable knowledge base about dyeing. This knowledge goes far beyond what is contained in the instructional books available on hand dyeing. These dyeing books, by necessity, take a greatly simplified approach so that anyone can learn to apply dye to fabric in a short amount of time. The incredible patterning, rich deep pure colors, and the color reproducibility we achieve are testimony to our skills as artisans creating handcrafted fabrics. Our LWI dyeing process was developed and refined as we hand-dyed thousands and thousands of yards of fabric. We pay strict attention to more than fifty procedures during our dyeing process in order to create hand-dyed fabric with the unique look of DyeArtist ^TM Fabrics. We don't take any shortcuts. Our dyeing processes require many more steps than the minimum number needed to affix dye on fabric. As artisans we believe your projects are worth the extra time, effort, and materials we use in creating our fabrics.

We are committed to making sure every one of our customers is 100% satisfied with their fabric purchases. If you are pleased with your DyeArtist^TM fabric purchase we hope you will tell all of your friends! If you are not happy for any reason please tell us and we will make it right. We have more than 50 years of combined professional experience in treating customers honestly and courteously.

Our names are Alice and Phil. We are the owners of DyeArtist^TM Fabrics. We began our life partnership many years ago. We feel fortunate to have met one another for we are truly soul mates.

The combination of our professional experiences and our life experiences benefit our customers. Alice's professional experience includes many years in marketing, sales, and customer service for large and small businesses. Her life has always been focused on serving the needs of others in her family, community, and business relationships. Since childhood she has always been a people person. New acquaintances soon become close friends. Those friends include many quilters whose input we cherish.

Phil's dyeing experience began more than 30 years ago with a pair of white corduroy pants, dye, and his mother's washing machine. It was an experiment in creative self-expression. He had the goal of creating pants in unique colors that were different than those worn by the other kids in school. His mother was supportive and graciously provided her washing machine for several more dyeing sessions that soon followed.

Years later, Phil was a technical consultant working with large textile companies on projects that focused on improving the quality (color reproducibility etc.) of dyeing processes. While traveling along the evolutionary path of life, the knowledge he gained from many years of working with the commercial textile industry was combined with his lifelong desire for creative self-expression using color, and DyeArtist^TM Fabrics was born.

Today, we lovingly create hand-dyed fabric one piece at time at our studio in North Carolina. Fabric collectors and all of those who treasure hand-dyed fabric appreciate the gorgeous fabric that our unique dyeing methods produce. Like the creation of fine wine, our hand dyeing processes focus entirely on nurturing the end result rather than speed. Our hand-dyed fabrics are an expression of our love of color, patterns, textures, and our desire to add beauty to the world!