The gig is up...We're busted...Rebekah, how did you know?
Heh, heh! How funny is it that Marley is sitting like that on her bum while strattling the couch arm.
OK kiddies...Today we will start lab class for Wilton's 101. First, I'd like to thank Liz for being my schoolmaster and teaching me how to dye wool with Wilton's cake dye. I too am a very visual learner, and didn't trust just having a go at it all by myself, from what little information was out there on the net. Thanks Liz!
Even though we used many different fibers, we always had a batch of Domestic wool top (roving) in each pot. If you are in the area, I get this by the ounce at Springwater Fiber Workshop here in Old Town. They also have a merino wool top. Merino is twice the price but much softer in texture. Word of warning, Merino will felt a lot easier though, so it must be treated extra gently. For today's class I will dye the last of my Domestic top with some Corridale top. We will be doing the color "violet." With the Domestic we bought, the top is folded in half length wise before it was wrapped on the bundle that you buy it from. It will stay like this during dyeing. You could unfold it, but I like it folded because it causes the dye to variegate more and make a color change. Certainly you can open it up (unfold it) and dye that way if you want. Here's what it looks like, the left side is with it opened up a bit:
Prepare the wool however you want. I usually use much longer pieces of roving for a batch. But for demo purposes, I'm doing a small amount of each. You can weigh your ounces to be exact. For large batches I do about 3-4 oz at a time. This time I didn't weigh it, but it's about two feet lengths. I prefer tying a very loose gigantic knot in the roving or coiling it up on itself a bit. This time I also did an example of the crocheted chain I talked about yesterday. If I was using a longer roving I tie a loose knot in the middle and coil up some of the extra around it or make two large loose knots. Play around and see what you like the most. I like both, some I've found the chain tuns out better, others I like knots, and still some I like just straight and dumped in. That's what's fun with experimenting:
OK, fill a pot up about half way with hot water. Then pour a couple "glugs" of distilled white vinegar into the water. (I'm estimating that it's about half a cup or so.) I don't know really how much should be added, but it works for me. Vinegar adds acidity and helps the dye stay locked in and help prevent heavy bleeding. I've read that some people have had luck without using any vinegar. Me, I'd rather not chance it. I now am a regular at my grocery store buying gallon jugs of vinegar. My grocer thinks it's nuts I'm sure. Especially seeing me doing this three times in the past week.
You want start bringing the water to an almost boil. You will be able to tell when that is about to happen. There will be bubbles starting to burst on the edges and steam is starting to really come off the surface. You can add your dye at anytime so drop it in:
As you can see this is a bit of a heaping 1/8th a teaspoon. I'd make it more heaping if I was doing more wool. This too you will get a feel for. Actually, this was probably a bit too much for how much I was dyeing, but I liked the result so that's all that matters!
As you can see the water is turning colors, but those blobs down on the bottom are dye that has yet to dissolve. Stir that up and the water will get much darker. Make sure you stir and see what it looks like before you decide to add more.
Now the fun part...Once it just starts to boil. Turn the heat down to low. I use #2 on the dial of my gas stove. Then drop your wool in and gently push it down into the dye. Don't stir it around, you want to keep it from felting.
I push it down and get it all submerged and make sure the areas in the knots are allowing dye in (I usually poke in the knots with a spoon handle to open them a bit to make sure liquid is able to get in. If you did the knot loosely, this is easy to do. I don't play too much with it or hold it down. I submerge it by poking a few times and let it float back to the top. I think this allows the wool to pull in colors differently in areas and adds variation. If you were looking for a more solid, completely dyed roving. Use small sections, don't coil it up too much, and hold it evenly down in the dye for awhile; make sure all areas are getting even coverage. You might still have areas that soak up more dye or certain colors, but it will be less so this way.
Let it soak until the dye is exhausted and the water looks clear. You will see it change before your eyes when it going through the stages of exhausting. Some colors haven't always exhausted all the way. Our violet this time left some blue in the water but it was clear enough that I think it was exhausted as much as needed or would.
Next you are going to wash and rinse it. Remember friction and over aggressive handling can cause the wet wool to felt. I don't have a double sink, so I use the sink and a very large bowl for this process. I have in the large bowl the hottest water I can get from the tap mixed with a swirl of mild dishwashing soap and another couple of glugs of vinegar. (You want to avoid extreme temp changes that will promote felting.) Use rubber gloves to protect your hands from any possible left over dye and the hot water. I then carefully submerge it in the bath to let the soapy water run through it, agitating it as little as possible. Don't get too freaked out that it will felt. I am just anal and super cautious. I want it in the best condition possible when it comes out, and hate doing more predrafting work than necessary.
I then carefully pour this out and press it up against the side of the bowl to get out a good amount of the soapy water.
Now I set the bowl aside and fill up a my sink with a few inches of just fresh hot water. Then slide the roving from the bowl in. And I again submerge and smoosh lightly and let water soak in and out of it. Make sure that the roving is running clear and not bleeding. Note, red is a very volatile color and will most likely bleed a bit. When dyeing the color red, I have to do a couple of extra rinses.
I then pull the plug on the drain and then slide the roving to the side of the sink and gently press out the excess water. I then refill the bowl with hot water for one more final rinse. When picking up the fiber from the sink to transfer it into the bowl of water, support the whole clump. You don't want it pulling apart. Also, I like slipping it into already prepared water as oppossed to putting it in the bowl then filling it up. This again avoids any agitation.
OK...now dump the water and squeeze again...Now meet the secret weapon.
Yep, a salad spinner. This makes life so easy. Dump your wool in the salad spinner. Give it some good twirling action to get the initial water out and dump that water out afterward. At this time, you can carefully undo your knots and get a first reveal of some of the colors that developed.
Woo hoo...looking good. Now keep spinning and dumping the excess water until there is practically nothing left. The dryer it gets, the better...And the faster it dries so it can be fondled! It also prevents dripping and any weight develping at the ends. If you don't have a spinner, squeeze out excess water and roll it up in a towel and gently smoosh to get the excess out . I think the spinner is worth going out the store and picking up. It's my buddy and a whole lot easier and less abrasive on the wool.
Now...pull out your roving and gently spread it out and unfold any creases.
Here's what we got! (The braided one is on the right).
And on the other side:
Notice the when opening the crease on the Domestic, it is lighter and different shades. Sometimes you will find starburst effects in there too. When spinning, this lighter color will perfectly draft in with the colors on the other side giving a pretty soft blended effect of several colors.
Now just hang them up to dry. It usually only takes overnight. I often fluff them out some as they get more dry. Also, sometimes it easier to undo the fold after it's been hanging and dried out a bit instead of right after you pull it out of the spinner.
Wasn't that easy! (And please ignore all the dust on that shelf!-ugh!)
Hopefully, that is explained well enough. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Also, if you have tried this method and have any tips...Let me know!!! I haven't tried this with yarn yet, but I am itching to do so. You know, all for the sake the of research of course! Lastly, if you do try this, email me and let me know your results. I'd be glad to post a pic or link to your results!
***NOTE- How long were you people going to let me go before telling me I was spelling "dyeing" as "dying" instead!!!! ???? DEAD WOOL!***
