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How to Make Backdrops From Cloth

If you enjoy photography, it is likely you have priced a backdrop for use in your photography sessions. Perhaps you were dismayed to learn how expensive these backdrops can be if you purchase them ready-made from a store or on the Internet.
Instead of spending money on an expensive backdrop, for a fraction of that price in less than an hour you could make your own backdrop in precisely the color you want. Go on to mount your backdrop cloth inexpensively and get busy taking pictures.

Things You'll Need

9-by-9-foot piece of muslin fabric
Dishwashing Soap
RIT dye (any color)
Salt
Tarp
18-Gallon Plastic Bin
Long Stick
Jute Twine
Scissors
Large Pot
Hot Water

Instructions

- 1
  Hand wash the muslin with a small amount of dish soap. Rinse thoroughly.
- 2
  Dissolve the RIT coloring and the salt in very hot water in the large pot. Consult the directions accompanying the dye for specific warnings and guidelines.
- 3
  Lay out the muslin on a large tarp.
- 4
  Cut a 4-foot length of jute. Start grabbing handfuls of fabric from the center of the muslin. Begin wrapping the jute around the handfuls of muslin. You are adding handfuls of fabric and continuing to wind the jute around the muslin to secure it. The jute does not have to be extremely tight, it just needs to secure the muslin into a ball-shaped piece of fabric.
- 5
  Place the muslin ball into the bin and fill it halfway with very hot water. Pour the dye into the bin. Push the muslin down into the water with a stick. Allow the muslin to soak for 30 minutes, flipping it over at 5-minute intervals.
- 6
  Remove the muslin ball and place it back on the tarp. Cut away the jute to assess your dye project.
- 7
  Dry the muslin on a flat surface. Rinsing and ironing is not necessary.
- 8
  Use binder clips along the top of the muslin to hang it as a backdrop. Attach the binder clips to hooks on a wall to mount the backdrop cloth.

Photography