Dyeing fabric: easier than you think!
If you're not happy with the colour of a garment, you can dye the fabric. Most fabrics made from natural fibres can be dyed to a different colour. This works best with undyed fabrics or white fabrics. Fabrics that are already dyed in a light colour can be dyed darker, but the original colour can influence the tint of the second dye. For example, dyeing red over blue will result in a purple tint. Another thing to keep in mind is that the thread used in the seams may not dye as well as the rest of the fabric, because that thread is often synthetic.
Dyeing linen or cotton
Both linen and cotton are made from what we call plant fibres. This means that both fabrics can be dyed with the same type of dye. When linen or cotton is mixed with a synthetic or animal fibre, dyeing can turn out differently than expected.
Most pre-made textile dyes, such as those you can find in chemists, work on plant fibres, although it's always a good idea to check this before purchasing. Pre-made textile dyes are generally available in two versions: for hand washing and machine washing. Hand wash dye cannot be used in the washing machine, but you can use machine wash dye to dye fabric in a bucket or bathtub.
Pre-made textile dyes always come with instructions, so they are easy to use.
Of course, it is also possible to dye fabric with natural dyes, which is period correct. You can buy ready-made, natural textile dye, but that is hard to find. If you want to use natural textile dye, you usually have to make it entirely yourself.
Natural dyes are much more complicated to work with than chemical dye. Working with natural dyes requires a lot of research and experimentation.
Dyeing wool
Wool, made from animal fibres, actually takes colour very well. It's easier to get a vibrant colour on wool than on linen or cotton, especially if you use natural dyes.
The downside of dyeing wool is that wool is sensitive to temperature and friction when wet. It can easily shrink or felt if not treated in the right way.
Just like with linen and cotton, the easiest way to dye wool is by using pre-made textile dyes. You do need to check that the textile dye you're considering using works for wool. Not all textile dyes work for wool, so you may need to look for special textile dye for wool.
Using a pre-made textile dye is simply a matter of following the instructions that come with the dye.
Wool can also be dyed with natural dyes, as was done in the distant past. It is possible to buy ready-made natural dyes, but those are hard to find. If you want to use natural textile dye, you usually have to make it entirely yourself.
Natural dyes are much more complicated to work with. Working with natural dyes requires a lot of research and experimentation.
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