[Illustration: FIG. 8—FOLDING THE CLOTH FIG. 9—STARTING TO TIE FIG. 10—CENTRE PORTION TIED TIED AND DYED WORK] =Dyeing Process.=—Now for the dyeing process. Of course, for practise, the craftsman will use cotton as his raw material, in the form of muslin, cheesecloth, scrim, or best of all, light grades of mercerized cotton, and hence will use the various cotton dyestuffs. The Salt colors are hardly advisable, because though fast to light they are not all fast to washing unless well boiled on, and that means that, unless tied extremely fast and tight, the color would be bound to penetrate, and wipe out the design. The Sulphur colors and the Vat colors are the best for the purpose—for they can be dyed cold or lukewarm, without injuring the fastness of the dye, and give colors fast both to light and to washing. In general, it is easier to get even shades with the Sulphur colors, and their shades are soft and pleasing, but while fast, they are not as fast as the Vat dyes, and it is impossible to get a decent scarlet with them. The skilful dyer will, of course, select his class to suit the shade he is trying to get and also to meet the requirements about fastness. But, in general, he will use the Salt colors for covering and shading the patterns produced with either the Sulphur or the Vat dyes. When using the oxidation dyes, like the Sulphur or Vat colors, plenty of time must be given for the dyestuffs to oxidize and set before they are untied. But, on the other hand, directly they are once untied it is important to wash off the loose dye-liquor from the cloth, and especially from the tied-in portions, as soon as possible after untying, otherwise some dye-liquors that may have soaked in without having had a chance to oxidize, will, when exposed to air, suddenly fix themselves and obscure or ruin the pattern. After attaining some skill in this process the craftsman is urged to try it on more important materials like silk. Most beautiful effects can be, and are being produced by this means, on soft delicate scarfs made of Chinese or Indian silks. The Acid colors are, of course, used for this, and as they take so readily on silk, the possibilities of shading and over-shading different portions of the design, or of adding a touch of color here and there where it seems desirable, offer infinite possibilities to an artistic workman. The combinations of color that can be produced are infinite, and the curious blending of regularity and irregularity, in the designs and figures, renders it a most attractive process to practise with. One great attraction about it is the sense of suspense, and the impossibility of telling just what effect is being produced, until the knots are all untied, and the cloth washed off and opened out.