FireStryker Living History Forum : piece-dyeing wool....

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Topic: piece-dyeing wool....

Nikki
Member
Member # 27

posted 03-20-2001 05:25 PM

I've been dabbling for a little while with various and sundry natural dyes, so far using just wool yarn. I found a source for fresh dye materials for next summer, and I'd like to try piece dyeing instead, as I don't weave or knit (or have any interest in doing so), and would like to be able to *use* the stuff that I dye.

Since I don't have a very large dye pot, or all that much dyeing material, I'd prefer to dye as little fabric as possible - so instead of dyeing a yard of uncut fabric, I'd rather dye a fully or mostly sewn garment. So my question is, is it possible to do this without a lot of shrinkage of the piece, if I prewash the wool (before cutting and sewing), throw it in the dryer on 'hot', and carefully heat up the garment prior to sticking it in the pot, and let it cool in the dyebath. Has anyone got any experience with this, and any good suggestions?

Registered: May 2000 | IP: Logged

Reinhard von Lowenhaupt
Member
Member # 119

posted 03-21-2001 11:23 AM

I've dyed wool garments (with modern dyes--but in hot water), and as long as the wool is pre-shrunk I haven't had any problems. (when pre-shrinking your wool, wash in hot water, and put in a hot dryer). My last wool dying job was on some old kilt hose that were stretched out from wear. The result was a nicely colored pair of kilt hose which once again fit snugly enough to stay in place without garters.

Registered: Feb 2001 | IP: Logged

Reinhard von Lowenhaupt
Member
Member # 119

posted 03-31-2001 02:47 AM

While on the subject of dyeing, does anyone have any comments/ideas/words of wisdom on dyeing silk? Just wanted to know.

Registered: Feb 2001 | IP: Logged

J.K. Vernier
Member
Member # 123

posted 03-31-2001 08:44 PM

When I was in art school, the way we were taught to dye yarn without shrinking was to put the wool in cool water first, then tap water as hot as it would get, then into the boiling dye - each step without wringing the wool in between. The graded temperatures of water would cushion the wool from heat shock and shrinkage. It ought to work similarly for fabric, don't you think?. Your dryer method might be just as good.

Registered: Feb 2001 | IP: Logged

Brenna
Member
Member # 96

posted 04-02-2001 04:25 PM

Alasdair,

Try Dharma Trading Company, they have a ton of books on silk dying and silk painting. (They also have decent prices on undyed Thai silk)

I don't have the web address but a search under Dharma Trading Company should turn it up.

Brenna

Registered: Dec 2000 | IP: Logged

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