The depth of tone in indigo dyeing is always
made by overlaying tone after tone of color on
the fabric. Take the hanks of thread, prepared
by the reserve method for dyeing the mottled




AN OBLONG KNITTED RUG WITH BORDER OF

BANDS OF BLACK INTERRUPTED BY

BARS OF COLOR



THE KNITTED RUG 77

green, and dip them in the vat in the same way
only do not dye them as dark as the thread
which is to be kept plain green. All thread
must be rinsed thoroughly, or until none of the
dye runs off in the rinsing water. A thorough
rinsing is one of the most important processes
in dyeing because it prevents what is mis-
takenly called fading. Fading is actually due
to the action of light on dyestuffs. Loss of
color on fabrics which have never been properly
rinsed, is caused by the loosening of dye par-
ticles not actually attached to the fiber. The
loose particles of dyestuff are taken off in
rinsing or, as the professional dyer would say
in the "milling" of the fabric, and later loss
of color, or fading is thus prevented. When
the action of water on dyed fabrics causes loss
of color and the dyestuff runs "bleeding" is
the proper term to use. Technically speaking
there are only two terms to apply to the nature
of dyes. They are either ' ' fast " or " fugitive. ' '
Fast if they resist the action of light and water,
and fugitive if they do not.
