This was great to watch instead of just reading. I have lots of yarn to dye. I started experimenting using yarn for Kumihimo braiding for jewelry. Some people asked about urea. You mix the urea with the water you use to add to the dye powder. From the Dharma Trading website-“ Urea is a 'moisture drawing' agent or 'humectant' which keeps the fabric damper longer during the curing or fixing process, thereby making for deeper, brighter colors. Fiber Reactive dyes won't "fix" if they dry out!” It also helps dissolve the dye powder. I find Dharma Trading an excellent resourse for all dyeing directions as well as all the products you need. The staff is extremely helpful. Now I want to go dye some yarn!
Thank you Taylor! I am so happy with it. I will be sharing photos on instagram and facebook as I put these projects onto the loom! :) @Spellboundweaving
Thanks so much Alix for this tutorial. I am new to dyeing and your explanations are so explicit and clear. Can you tell me what weight of cotton you are using for your yarn please?
This warp turned out so beautifully! Love your colour choices. I find it interesting that all the material I have read has the dye powder mixed with a urea solution, not plain water. I'm eager to see this warp (and others) on the loom and with weft yarn.
Thanks Sandra! I have read that as well, but I've honestly never used it! Maybe I should do a test or with urea and without and compare the results. I will add salt to my dye bath if I am dyeing on the stove, but never to my dye bottles.
Very interesting, isn't it? I'd love to hear a comparison between with and without urea from someone more experienced than I. I've also read that you can/should thicken the dye stock when hand painting, but since I don't do it when painting acid dyed warps, I don't bother when using MX dyes.
I've only ever used sodium alginate to thicken my dye once, and that was using my dye to stamp a pattern on a finished cloth! I've just never found the need before :)
Thank you for your videos, they're fantastic! I'm new to dyeing and am having a big issue with my emerald green rinsing out and turning blue. I've tired batching for longer, rinsing in cold water first. I can't work out why. My soda ash is old, I've been using the same batch of soda ash for multiple skeins - could that be affecting it? I appreciate any help you can give me, thank you
Could you add some of the water to the bottle before dye powder? I’m asking bc The powder would be in water while the remaining water gets added, hopefully reducing airborne particulates from water being added directly to completely dry powder ... For example , I’m thinking of all the airborne ice tea powder I see if I add water to dry powder . Just wondering , bc you’d said it was important ( not sure if that steps order is what you were referring to). Thanks!
HI, I was thinking of dying macrame cotton twine, would I get a similar effect? or do you have any tips for it? by the way I love your videos, theres so much about wool dying but the cotton videos not so much, all need it some sore of alum acetate, calcium acetate, i was a bit overwhelm by doing the cotton dye in that way.
Hey Reggie! Thanks for subscribing :) I am still working on getting my placement perfect, but I wind my warp on the loom using a sectional beam. Having all of my leader cords identical lengths and trying to keep the tension the same across all sections definitely helps in keeping the placement consistent and even. I number all of my chains when dyeing as well, this stops me from getting them mixed up when rinsing.
Hi Alix, thank you for doing these awesome videos. I’m new to spinning, weaving, and fiber dyeing. I like the simple numbered clip idea, and chaining the warp. I Just binged your previous videos. I enjoy all your techniques.
