Early textile dyers signed oaths that they would not reveal any of the process. Fortunately, author Carolyn Dahl openly shares the secrets of dyeing, painting, and patterning beautiful cloth she has gleaned in art schools. This guide is the next best thing to having a master artist in the studio.

Entertaining stories awaken memories of childhood coloring books, leaf prints, iron-on designs, and the tie-dyed T-shirts most of us experienced at some point in our lives. Readers will be inspired as they follow step-by-step photographs and instructions full of hints and secrets for using luminous color to transform white cloth into artistic masterpieces. Connoisseurs of the decorative arts and those who are merely curious about the fabrics they wear and use in everyday life will find much to interest them.

• Produce successful results without an instructor
• Author relates own experiences, telling why a technique is done, giving more control to the dyer
• Contains lots of fresh ideas