How to Dye 220 cm Wide Cotton-Linen Fabric: Indigo, Weld, Madder and More
This guide is written for our undyed wide cotton-linen fabric (about 90% cotton and 10% linen), with a 220 cm (about 86.6 in) usable width and a weight of 200–210 g/m² (about 5.9–6.2 oz/yd²). The extra width is the whole point: fewer seams, cleaner wide panels and better results for curtains, table linens and large projects. Below you will find three core recipes (indigo, weld and madder) and two bonus recipes.
An honest note: natural dyeing is not "copy and paste, same color". Results vary with water, scouring, mordanting, dye amount, temperature, time and how you move the fabric. The recipes below are reliable starting ranges, not guarantees.
The two steps that decide everything
1. Scour the fabric
Scouring removes the oils, starch and residues that cause patchy dyeing, especially on cotton-linen blends. Skip it and you are gambling. See how to prepare fabric for natural dyeing.
2. Mordant: tannin, then alum
For this fabric the most reliable path to clean, even color is tannin → alum. Tannin helps dyes bond to cellulose fibers, and alum improves the fastness and clarity of most plant dyes. See how to mordant cotton and linen, or use our cellulose mordant studio kit. Indigo is the exception: it needs no mordant.
5 tips for even dyeing on 220 cm wide fabric
- Don't crowd the pot. Tight folds cause streaks and marks. Use the biggest pot or tub you have.
- Wet the fabric completely before it goes in. Dry, folded fabric dyes unevenly.
- Move it gently and regularly. Open out the cloth and move it calmly; aggressive stirring can make unevenness worse.
- Let it cool in the bath for deeper color with many dyes.
- Judge the color when dry. Wet fabric always looks darker.
3 core recipes
1. Indigo: blues, and greens by overdyeing
Colors: pale sky blue to deep indigo, with several dips.
Indigo is vat dyeing, not a standard dye bath. Depth comes from several short dips with oxidation in between, not from long soaking.
- Prepare a healthy indigo vat; see our indigo vat guide.
- Dip the fabric for 30–120 seconds, lift it out and let it oxidize for 10–15 minutes.
- 1–3 dips for light blue, 4–6 for medium blue, 7–10 or more for deep indigo.
- Keep the cloth open, without tight folds, and let it oxidize fully between dips.
For greens: dye yellow with weld first, then overdye with indigo.
Shop: Natural indigo extract
2. Weld: clean yellows and the best base for greens
Colors: lemon to golden yellow.
- Amount: about 5–12% WOF of weld extract, or 10–20% WOF of weld powder, for light to deep yellow.
- 45–60 minutes of gentle heat (70–80 °C / 160–175 °F), then let it cool in the bath.
- Preparation: tannin → alum → weld.
Modifier: a very light iron dip shifts yellow toward chartreuse and olive. Iron is strong, so go in tiny steps. More recipes: weld dye guide.
3. Madder: blush, terracotta and brick red
Colors: soft blush to warm red, terracotta and brick.
- Amount: 5–15% WOF of madder extract, or 50–100% WOF of madder root powder.
- Keep the heat controlled at 60–70 °C (140–160 °F); boiling muddies the reds.
- A cool soak after heating often deepens the warmth.
Tone control: a very light iron dip mutes madder toward dusty rose and vintage tones (it is easy to overdo). For warmer reds, improve the preparation and use more dye rather than more heat. More: how to dye with madder.
2 bonus recipes
Pomegranate peel: soft yellow, beige and stone
Amount: about 8–20% WOF of pomegranate peel powder. Great for gentle neutrals, and a useful base for eco printing.
Black walnut: browns and deep earth tones
Amount: about 5–15% WOF of black walnut hull powder for light to deep brown. A strong, earthy and reliable dye.
What to make with 220 cm wide fabric
- Curtains and wide panels with fewer seams
- Tablecloths, runners and napkins
- Bedding, throws and large home textiles
- Wide garments such as robes, kimonos and overshirts
- Studio sampling and eco printing
Shop: Undyed wide cotton-linen fabric · Natural dyes, tannins and mordants · All undyed fabrics