This tutorial yields enough dye to solid-dye two yards (or 1 lb) of fabric. Please note that this will be a more-detailed version of Studio Kinema's Video and Jacquard's Procion MX Instructions. Both are a very good references, but they leave out a some very important chemical factors that may produce undesired results if you ignore them. Thus, I decided to rewrite these instructions with some tips and tricks I learned while dyeing the vest for my Biker 'Bouquet cosplay.

...So before we begin, what exactly is Procion MX?
It is a cold-water fiber-reactive dye produced by Jacquard. Unlike other commercial dyes, it does not require heat and can be done right in your backyard!

What can it dye?
Procion MX dye works on plant-based fabrics like cotton, linen, and rayon. It can also dye cotton/rayon/linen blends, but keep in mind that the dye will not stick to any synthetic fibers. Depending on the % cotton for example, this may result in your fabric having a washed-out or pastel version of the dye's advertised color. From what I've read, it's not worth dyeing anything containing less than 60% cotton and more than 40% synthetic fibers.


You will need:
Materials:
Disposable Gloves
Disposable Table Cloth
4-5 Gallon Bucket
Wash Bucket
Bowl/container for dissolving soda ash
Measuring Cups
Long Metal Spoon
2 yards  (or ~1 lb) of fabric (material should be at least 60% cotton*)

Chemicals:
2 Cups Non-Iodized Salt (It is very important that your table salt is free of iodide otherwise it will interfere with the chemical reaction!)
¼ Cup Soda Ash (Safety Data Sheet)
2 Teaspoons Procion MX dye of your choice (Safety Data Sheet)
Tap water
Synthrapol (Safety Data Sheet)
Vinegar (for clean-up)

Optional:
pH Test Strips (to help with Step 8 and clean-up)
Food scale (if you want to know the exact weight of your fabric)
Thermometer (if you want to monitor the temperature)

Gathering your materials:
Pro tip: Save money!
1) You can get disposable gloves, table cloths, and cheap wash buckets from the dollar store. It might also be a good idea to snag some cheap measuring cups that you can devote to cosplay shenanigans. As we are working with chemicals, I do not recommend using your kitchenware for this project.

2) I got my 4-5 gallon bucket from the grocery store by asking the deli manager if I could have one of the empty “pickle shreddies” buckets. Stores throw these things out, so if you ask nicely, they might save you one of their buckets. Otherwise you can buy one from the hardware store.

Where to obtain Procion MX dye, Soda Ash, and Synthrapol:  
As far as I am aware Procion MX is not sold in any of the chain craft stores. You might be able to find it in a local specialty craft store, otherwise your best bet is ordering a jar online. Soda Ash can be purchased online and in craft stores. (JoAnn Fabrics sells it online only.) You can also make it on your own with baking soda (Instructions Here), but I have not tried this myself. Synthrapol can be purchased online and in stores.  

Product Links:
Procion MX Color Chart
Synthrapol
Amazon's Jacquard Products Page
Soda Ash

Instructions:

Step 1: First things first! We need to preshrink the fabric and remove any chemical residue that may interfere with the dyeing process. Go ahead and prewash your fabric (or garment) according to the wash instructions on its bolt (or tag). Please do not add any soaps, detergents, etc. to your water. It may also be a good idea to thoroughly rinse out your buckets for the same reason.

Step 2: Remove the damp fabric from the washing machine and set it aside in the bucket that you have designated as the “wash bucket.”

Step 3: Measure out 3 gallons of warm (think bath water) tap water and add it to the bucket that you have designated as the “dye bucket.” You do not want to make your water too hot otherwise it will activate the dye and cause it to clump up before you have a chance to get everything ready. My rule of thumb is, “If you can't comfortably stick your bare hand into the water, then it is too hot.”

Step 4: Measure out 2 cups of plain, non-iodized salt and stir it into the bucket until it is fully dissolved.

Step 5: Measure out 2 teaspoons of your Procion MX dye powder and stir it into the bucket until it is fully dissolved. Please use gloves from this point onward.

Step 6: Once everything is dissolved in your water, add in your damp prewashed fabric! Put on some music and stir it around for 15 minutes.

Step 7: After 15 minutes have passed, take out your fabric and place it aside in your designated “wash bucket.” We don't want it in the dye bucket during Step 8.


Step 8: Before we can continue with the dyeing process, we need to create a pre-dissolved soda ash concoction. To do this, you will want to measure out ¼ cup of soda ash into a clear bowl and then slowly add warm tap water to the bowl until all of the soda ash is dissolved. Important: While researching dyes, I learned that the soda ash concoction needs to be at a really high pH (10-14) for the dye mixture. Adding too much water to the soda ash solution will result in a lower pH. I found it easiest to add water to my soda ash in ¼ cup increments. In other words, each time I added ¼ cup of water, I stirred the mixture until it stopped dissolving soda ash. Then I would add another ¼ cup of water and stir again. I kept doing this until every last particle of soda ash dissolved into the solution. It took me maybe 2 cups of water before it all dissolved. Once you are finished dissolving your soda ash pour it into the dye mixture and stir it for a couple minutes.

Step 9: Place your fabric back into the dye bucket and stir, stir, stir for 45 minutes. This part sounds really boring, I know. XD It helps to put on an episode of Sailor Moon in the background to pass the time.


Step 10: Go ahead and let your fabric sit in the dye bath at least 4-24 hours. The longer it sits in the dye, the deeper the color. You may also wish to place the plastic table cloth over the top of the bucket to keep the mixture from losing water. Highly recommended for dry climates! Very Important: The chemical reaction between the dye and fabric occurs the fastest when the mixture is able to sit in a place where the temperature remains at least 70°F. If you are unable to place the bucket under such conditions, you will want to leave the fabric in the dye much longer. For example, I had to keep my project in the garage where the temperature was not regulated by a heating system. Because of this, the temperature fluctuated all over the place (between 50°F and 70°F) depending on the time of day, so I left my vest in the dye for a week before I moved onto step 11. If you are dyeing in the summer, you shouldn't have to worry as much about this. (More info on effects of temperature HERE for those who are curious.)

Step 11: You waited and waited... Now it is time! Fill your wash bucket with cold tap water and add a teaspoon of synthrapol. Then lift your fabric from the dye.


Let some of the excess liquid drip off before transporting it to the wash bucket. Once it is in the bucket, go ahead and agitate the fabric in the bucket to help it shed any excess dye, salt, and soda ash. Squish it, squeeze it, shake it for a few minutes and then let it sit for 5-10 minutes. XD I filled my bucket with cold water at least 5 times (only used synthrapol the first time though!) before I thought it was safe enough to bring into the house. In the house, I ran the vest under cold tap water for a bit. Note: If you aren't like me and can get things into the washing machine or sink without making a huge mess, you probably don't need to fill your bucket 5 times. Lol


Step 12: It's time to use the washing machine! XD Add 1-2 teaspoons of synthrapol into your machine
and then add your fabric. Wash at the hottest temperature your fabric can tolerate. (My garment said cold wash only, but I'm a rebel so I went with warm/warm for mine.) After the machine finished up, I took my vest out and let it sit in a sink full of warm (bath water temperature) water, occasionally changing the water if I noticed it getting too orange. XD Once it seemed like all of the extra dye had washed out, I transported my project to the dryer!

Step 13: CLEAN UP. Don't be a jerk to the environment or your septic system. Neutralize the pH of your dye mixture with a splash of vinegar before dumping it out!



Additional Resources:
Paula Burch's Site on Hand-Dyeing Fabric
Youtube: So Many Colors Procion MX Dyeing Techniques
Youtube Playlist for Procion MX Dyeing Techniques

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