Dye Your Own Cairn Circles! My Experience Using Oggi Fabric Dyes

Oct 30, 2022

Ever wondered about dyeing your own dressmaking fabric? I put our Natural Undyed Cairn Circles cotton jacquard to the test using Oggi Olivewood Green machine dye. Find out how I achieved two different shades, what happened during the process and my tips for dyeing your own.

One of the things I love most about developing our own exclusive fabrics at Guthrie & Ghani is being able to experiment with different ideas and bring something a little different to the world of dressmaking.

When I was developing our new Cairn Circles cotton jacquard, inspired by ancient Scottish rock art, I originally planned three colours: Black, Tan and Burgundy. But I loved the natural, undyed version of the fabric so much that I decided to add it to the collection too!

Not only is it a lovely neutral fabric in its own right, but being 100% cotton, it also opens up the possibility of dyeing it yourself to create something completely individual.

With our new range of Oggi fabric dyes arriving at G&G, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to put them to the test and share my experience.

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Natural Undyed Cairn Circles Cotton Jacquard Fabric - Guthrie & Ghani Exclusive

£22.90 /m

New In

Oggi Machine Wash Fabric Dye

£13.99

Why Cairn Circles is so lovely to dye

Cairn Circles is a 100% cotton jacquard, woven exclusively for G&G in Portugal.

The design takes inspiration from prehistoric cup-and-ring markings found across Scotland, and I specifically wanted the fabric to have an inherent sense of texture and depth rather than simply printing a design onto the surface.

The circular motifs are woven into the fabric itself, creating a beautifully tactile surface that becomes even more pronounced after washing.

Because the fabric is made entirely from cotton, it's suitable for dyes designed for cotton fabrics, making the Natural Undyed colourway a lovely blank canvas for experimenting with your own colours.

My Oggi Olivewood Green dyeing experiment

For my test, I used a 2.5-metre length of Natural Undyed Cairn Circles and chose the Oggi Olivewood Green Machine Wash Fabric Dye.

Based on the weight of my fabric, the manufacturer's instructions indicated that I should use two bottles of dye.

However, I was curious to see what would happen if I used just one bottle, so that's where I started!

Step 1 — Preparing the fabric

I first washed the fabric with detergent on a 40°C quick cycle to get it thoroughly wet and clean.

This also allowed the fabric to undergo its initial shrinkage before dyeing.

Cairn Circles naturally contracts when washed, developing its characteristic textured, slightly crinkled appearance. We've found that it shrinks by approximately 6% during the initial wash, which is normal for this type of cotton jacquard with its slightly looser base weave.

It's important to account for this shrinkage when deciding how much fabric to buy for your project.

Step 2 — Dyeing with one bottle

Following the Oggi packaging instructions, I placed the bottle of dye upright on top of the wet fabric in the washing machine.

I didn't add any salt, as none was required by the instructions.

I then ran a 40°C wash cycle lasting approximately one hour.

Once that had finished, I ran the same cycle again with detergent to wash out the excess dye.

I removed the fabric and hung it up to dry.

Step 3 — Dyeing it a second time

I was really pleased with the first result, but I wanted to see how much deeper the colour could become.

I cut off a small section of the fabric to keep as a reference, then put the remaining length through the dyeing process again using another bottle of Olivewood Green.

This produced a noticeably deeper colour, giving me two different shades from the same dye.

It's worth remembering that dyeing fabric twice with one bottle each time isn't necessarily the same as using two bottles together in a single dyeing cycle, so this was very much an experiment rather than a specific colour recipe.

What did I think of the results?

I was really pleased with how evenly the fabric took the dye.

Interestingly, when I first removed it from the washing machine, the colour looked a little patchy. However, this appeared to be because different areas of the fabric were holding different amounts of moisture.

Once the fabric had dried completely, the colour was lovely and even, and this was the case after both dyeing processes.

The woven circles and textured surface remained beautifully visible, and I love how the different depths of Olivewood Green give the fabric quite different looks.

It's a lovely example of how you can take the same base fabric and create something that feels very personal.

What about dye left in the washing machine?

After dyeing, I ran another quick wash with the machine empty to help remove any residual dye.

I also wiped around the rubber door seal, where dye residue can sometimes collect.

As an extra precaution, I made sure my next few loads of washing were dark colours, just in case any traces of dye remained.

I'd always recommend following the dye manufacturer's cleaning instructions for your particular machine.

My tips for dyeing Cairn Circles at home

If you're thinking of trying this yourself, here are a few things I'd recommend:

Check the weight of your fabric. Dye quantities are based on fabric weight, not length, and Cairn Circles is a substantial 340gsm cotton jacquard.
Allow for shrinkage. The fabric shrinks by approximately 6% on its initial wash, so factor this into your fabric requirements.
Follow the dye instructions. Different dyes may have different requirements for temperature, quantity and preparation.
Wait until the fabric is completely dry before judging the colour. My fabric looked a little uneven while wet, but dried beautifully evenly.
Remember that dyeing is an experiment! The final colour can vary depending on the amount of fabric, dye quantity and starting fabric colour.
Clean your washing machine afterwards. Follow the manufacturer's guidance and check the door seal for any remaining dye.

Make Cairn Circles your own

I love the idea of seeing Cairn Circles made up in all sorts of different colours, and I'm particularly excited to see what everyone creates with the Natural Undyed version.

It would make a beautiful Caiplie Jacket, especially paired with one of our Wild Rowan or Afterlight viscose fabrics as a contrasting lining.

Whether you choose to keep it natural, experiment with a soft muted shade or go for something much bolder, there are so many possibilities!