INSPIRATION


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The starting point is the undercolour of the sinamay. Use either undyed or predyed sinamay to start with.


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First, mix a small amount of dry dye with a tiny amount of water in a separate pot.


07


The quantity of dye needed is genuinely small – a little goes a long way.


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Next, add some of the dilluted dye to a larger container of water. For a pale first layer, err on the side of too little.


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Submerge the sinamay and leave it. Ten minutes to half an hour is usually sufficient for a light-to-medium colour.


10


Longer dips or repeat baths build depth gradually. Let the piece dry completely before assessing the result – the colour will shift as it dries, usually becoming slightly more muted.


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This first layer is the foundation. Once dry, the piece is ready for a second colour.


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The magic lies in this second – and sometimes third – layer. An orange base dyed over with green becomes a complex, earthy brown. A pink base over-dyed with green yields something entirely different: a deep, warm tone that reads almost like an antique cloth. Neither result is predictable with certainty, which is part of the pleasure.


Keep samples to refer back to. Commercial dyeing uses batch numbers because even


13


Once a piece has its base colour, we can start ombré dipping to create a gradient across the length of the fabric.


72 | the hat magazine #110


professional dyers cannot exactly replicate a colour twice. Embrace this. The goal is a working instinct rather than a precise formula.


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