Condition and Dye Your Own Hemp Rope

Step 5 Dye the rope (optional)

Use a dye made for natural fibers. I'm using Rit-Dye. It's cheap and easy to use. You can get it at just about any grocery or craft store. You can use better dyes but they require more materials and time. Follow the directions on the bottle. Basically fill the pot with more water and a cup of non-iodized salt. Don't put too much water in the pot right away or it will over flow when you add the rope. Pour in the dye. I used one bottle. You can use more for darker coloring. Now unravel your daisy chains and slowly add the rope to the pot, being careful not to splash. Add more water to cover the rope. Let it boil for at least an hour, longer for darker coloring. Add water to keep the rope submerged as it evaporates. When it's done, pour out the dye water and rinse the rope until the water runs clear. I did this by dumping the rope in the bathtub and letting the shower run over it until the run off was clear. Hang the rope outside to dry. When it's completely dry daisy chain each piece and put them inside a mesh laundry bag or old pillow case with the end tied shut. Put the bag of rope in the washing machine and run it on the hottest setting. Dry the rope in the dryer.