Fabric Drying Stiff and Crispy Post-Dyeing

Q: Sometimes my fabric feels really stiff and crispy after I dye it.  Any suggestions?

A: I would make sure you are rinsing your pieces really well after dyeing them and rebalancing the pH of your fabric in a post-dye acid bath (citric acid, lemon, vinegar are some suggestions) before allowing them to dry out.  Not doing so can make your fabric really stiff and crispy when it dries.  As a general matter, high pHs soften cellulose fibers (soda ash on cotton, hemp, linen etc) and low pHs soften protein fibers (vinegar on silk, wool).