If working with powdered dye, dissolve it in 2 cups (500 ml) hot water first before adding it to the large bucket of water. The ideal water temperature for your dye bath is 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius). Make sure that you add the dye to the water before adding the lace. If you add the lace first, you may cause spotting to occur.
It is highly recommended that you wear rubber gloves, a smock or apron, and clothes that you do not mind staining while working with dye.
Stirring the lace is highly recommended since doing so helps the fabric dye more evenly.
Warm water rinses off the surface dye better, but cool water is recommended after you get this surface dye off since it discourages the color from bleeding out.
Note that the lace will be a slightly lighter shade when it dries.
The dye color is very concentrated, so you will need to dilute it with water. Do not paint the lace directly with undiluted dye. If you want a stronger dye color, you can add another drop or two of dye. Similarly, you can create pastel colors by adding 5 to 10 more drops of water.
Alternatively, you could also spray the lace with water from a fine-mist spray bottle to dampen it instead of soaking it first. If you want more distinct colors, however, you should keep the lace dry.
Thoroughly rinse and dry the brush before loading it with a new dye color. If you are working with wet lace, mist the lace with water periodically to keep it damp.
Do not dampen the lace again when adding multiple layers of dye. If the lace becomes too dark, you can remove the excess dye by blotting it with a paper towel. This works better if you are using a wet application instead of a dry application, though.
Note that setting the color with an iron also helps soften the lace.
You can add 1 Tbsp (15 ml) of salt to the mixture to help make the final color more vibrant. It can also help the dye to set. The ideal water temperature should be about 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius).
Soaking the lace is essential if you want to create an ombre effect since the shades of dye will need to blend together in a gradient. If you keep the lace dry, on the other hand, you will not be able to achieve this gradient effect.
Wear thick rubber or plastic gloves to prevent the dye from getting on your skin. Alternatively, you could use a coffee stirrer or disposable plastic spoon to agitate the dye. You can wrap the top third of the lace around a dowel bar to help keep it steady and even, if you like.
Alternatively, you can keep this last portion the original color and skip submerging it in the dye.
