How to test tie dye colors
Test new tie dye colors on small paper towel samples to see how they actually look when wet, including any splits, before using them on fabric.
Quick Color Samples
If you acquire new dye colors, it can be hard to imagine what the color will look like. The powdered dye doesn’t always look like the color it will be when it’s wet.
My favorite way to quickly reference colors when I am choosing which dyes to use is to create paper towel samples.
The color on the paper towel won’t be an exact representation but it will inform you much better than memory or looking at the powder.
For example, Wasabi is a color that looks nothing like the color of the powder.
Process
To make samples, take small pieces of paper towel. Add a tiny amount of dye, then spray with water. You should get a nice idea of the component colors within the dye (splits).
The more water you add, the more the sample will look like one smooth color. It’s up to you how you’d like to see the dye color represented on your sample.
Corky Lorenz
February 11, 2026