Solar Dyeing Part 2 & 3

I decided to jump in and try some more solar dyeing while it was still hot and summer-y. So next up was some of the fleece I have been spinning. I washed it and left it to dry before deciding to dye it. Hence I didn't prep it properly and it could've benefited from a longer pre-soak. Ahh, the things you learn.

I used Wiltons Rose Pink for the pink, as I don't have pink in my Educational colours collection. The other 2 are though. I made up the dye amount and poured it over the fleece - I used less blue as I didn't want it to be too dark and over power the yellow and pink. Popped it in the solar oven and left it to it. After a few hours I checked and the water was clear, but the top layer wasn't very colourful as the dye had pooled at the bottom - possibly too much liquid? So I turned the fleece over, as carefully as I could (it was very hot!) and poured more dye gently over the top. Back in for a few more hours and then left to cool overnight.

I love the results!

It is a bit like spinning fairy floss :) Colourful and fun.

The 3rd go was to get a particular colour. I knew roughly what I wanted and after reading my book Teach Yourself Visually Hand-Dyeing, I had a rough idea on how to get it. So I mixed up my colours and put it all in the oven. And what do you know? It was the colour I wanted. Well close enough anyways. So now I have some hand spun yarn in the right shade that I dyed, with a project in mind, I just need to knit it up. How cool will that be!

Cheers!

Solar Dyeing

I decided to give solar dyeing a go on the weekend. There were two reasons why.
1. I didn't want to risk felting my handspun (I sometimes don't watch very closely and my water starts to bubble), and
2. We are having a heatwave here - I may as well make the most of free heat!

So I started with rather unprepared wool - I quickly soaked it in some warm water. Then I added some hot tap water to my turquoise dye and citric acid (first time using citric instead of vinegar) and poured it into a strong freezer bag, then placed the wool in and tied it up. I placed it into a big saucepan, so that if the bag broke it would be contained.

Then out to the solar oven that my husband constructed ages ago and in it went. I put it in at about 3:30pm, so there was only a few hours of heat left for that day. Most of the dye had been absorbed by about 6pm but I figured I may as well leave it overnight and give it another day of heating.

At the end of day 2, the water was completely clear and when I took it out of the oven (must remember pot mitts next time) the water was at ~65C! Not bad! Again, I left it overnight, this time to cool down completely (that took a lot of patience let me tell you).

When I rinsed, there was no dye leak, and no vinegar smell :) I have read that turquoise dye can be a terrible one to get to stick, so I am very happy that mine didn't wash out.

All in all, I am very happy with the results, and while we have hot weather, I shall certainly be doing more solar dyeing, as it doesn't heat my house up, and uses free energy :) Win win I say!

Cheers!