[Susan_McCormack]

Hi!

I usually hang out at the diapering board but I have a question that I'm hoping you ladies can help me with.

I am having trouble finding a dye that will be colorfast on wool. I've used plain old Rit, Kool Aid, Jacquard Acid Dyes, and food coloring. I always add vinegar and salt.

Here is the method I usually use. I'm hoping someone can tell me where my faults are.

I soak the yarn for 20 minutes in very warm/hot water. I put the dye in warm water with about 1/2 c vinegar and 1/2 cup salt. Then I bring it to a boil and put my wool in for about 30 minutes. I usually put in the microwave for 10 minutes twice or three times. I've even steam set it by putting it in a steaming basket for 45 minutes.

Then I rinse it about 50 times. The water never runs completely clear. I've tried soaking it overnight in warm water with a piece of white yarn to test for colorfastness and it has continuously run.

I'm really hoping someone can help because otherwise I'll have to resort to limiting my soakers to colors I can purchase somewhere.

Thank you so much for your help!!!!!

 

[Susan_McCormack]

Bump - really hoping someone can help me

 

[Piffle]

I don't dye yarn but rinse with synthrapol and then soak yarn in vinegar water. This should set the dye. Maybe you will get better advice.

 

[Susan_McCormack]

Thanks! I haven't tried syntrhapol yet - maybe that's the problem???

Just out of curiosity - do you wash any of your dyed wool in hot water? I am testing the colorfastness in hot water - maybe I should just be testing it in warm? I really don't want it to run at all...

 

[Knittin' in the Shade]

I'd soak in a water/vinegar mix prior to dyeing ( i do about a cup of vinegar to a small size washer load of washer) and then let the yarn sit int he dyebath longer than 30 minutes. I'd say 2 hours or so, then rinse, rinse, rinse. I don't normally do synthrapol, but I rinse like a mad woman.

I'd venture a guess that the reason you're never etting clear water when rinsing is that you are using too much dye to begin with-the yarn can only chemically react with so much dye, and any excess is going to sit on top and rinse out. Try cutting down the amount of dye you use. Also-what dye are you using? If you are using a fiber reactive dye (like procion or such) and following their directions, then it will never fully react, because their directions are for plant fibers (cotton, hemp,e tc) and those fibers take a LOT more dye to get rich colors than wool.

 

[ma2maya]

I have been told and read that the acid dyes are the best on wool. Have you checked out Gleasons Fine Woolies She has some good directions. Maybe you could try Acetic acid instead of vinegar, it has a much higher acidity(can't remember the %) You can get it at a camera store.
Don't know if this has helped

 

[sweetladyaz]

Hmm, I haven't heard of using salt? You might also be using too much dye/koolaid/etc or trying to get too dark of a color?

I do this, soak the wool for 5 minutes in warm water and vinegar. Then gently wring and either submerse in dye or paint designs with dye. Then steam with water AND vinegar in a steamer for about 10-15 minutes and I get NO dye running out of the wool. And if there is, it's very little and the water runs clear after about 10 seconds.

HTh. I do wash my wool 2-3 times before I dye it, perhaps that might help also?

 

[Susan_McCormack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knittin' in the Shade I'd venture a guess that the reason you're never etting clear water when rinsing is that you are using too much dye to begin with-the yarn can only chemically react with so much dye, and any excess is going to sit on top and rinse out. Try cutting down the amount of dye you use. Also-what dye are you using? If you are using a fiber reactive dye (like procion or such) and following their directions, then it will never fully react, because their directions are for plant fibers (cotton, hemp,e tc) and those fibers take a LOT more dye to get rich colors than wool.

Thank you so much for your suggestions. I will cut down on the amt of dye I use next time. I've been using Jacquard Acid Dyes and I boiled them for about an hour and they still run. The dye never exhausted - so I probably did use too much. Maybe I just need to let them soak in water overnight to wash out the excess dye?

 

[Susan_McCormack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ma2maya I have been told and read that the acid dyes are the best on wool. Have you checked out Gleasons Fine Woolies She has some good directions. Maybe you could try Acetic acid instead of vinegar, it has a much higher acidity(can't remember the %) You can get it at a camera store. Don't know if this has helped

I have been using Jacquard Acid Dyes. I think I may try the Acetic Acid next time. And I'm also going to try using less dye than I have been using.

Thanks!!!

 

[Susan_McCormack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knittin' in the Shade I'd say 2 hours or so, then rinse, rinse, rinse. I don't normally do synthrapol, but I rinse like a mad woman.

One more question...

Do you rinse in hot water? I start rinsing in hot and gradually go to cold. It seems to eventually run clear, but if I soak it in hot again overnight the water isn't clear in the morning.

 

[LuvMy2Kidz]

I also wash my yarns with wool soap after they're dyed to help them bleed out. Reds and dark purples tend to be the worst for bleeding.

 

[Susan_McCormack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LuvMy2Kidz I also wash my yarns with wool soap after they're dyed to help them bleed out. Reds and dark purples tend to be the worst for bleeding.

Actually those are the colors I've been having problems with - a dark pink and a purple. I'll try washing them with wool wash.

Thanks!!

 

[susanjp]

I haven't tried any other dyes, but here's how I do it with Koolaid.

Wash wool and soak in warm water with a glug of vinegar for 10 mins. Squeeze out excess liquid. Mix 1 packet Koolaid in 1/4 cup warm water for every ounce of wool (more for brighter color, less for more muted version), add color to wool and mix well to coat all the fibers. Zap in microwave for 2 mins, leave to rest for 2 mins, zap again for another 2 mins, leave to cool to lukewarm, then rinse, rinse, rinse.

Sometimes a little more color comes out in the next wash, but only in the water, the color remains good on the wool.

HTH

 

[Susan_McCormack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by susanjp I haven't tried any other dyes, but here's how I do it with Koolaid. Wash wool and soak in warm water with a glug of vinegar for 10 mins. Squeeze out excess liquid. Mix 1 packet Koolaid in 1/4 cup warm water for every ounce of wool (more for brighter color, less for more muted version), add color to wool and mix well to coat all the fibers. Zap in microwave for 2 mins, leave to rest for 2 mins, zap again for another 2 mins, leave to cool to lukewarm, then rinse, rinse, rinse. Sometimes a little more color comes out in the next wash, but only in the water, the color remains good on the wool. HTH

Thank you so much for your suggestions. I'll have to try your method.