This past Thursday I tried yarn dying for the first time, using some organic merino roving and handspun (mmmm, organic) and Majic Carpet acid dyes in Bottle Green, Moss Green and Seal Brown (from my most recent foray to Wabi Sabi). In Canada, the dyes are distributed through Rittermere-Hurst-Field, and their site has a list of the colours available .
Some glass bowls, hot water, a microwave, vinegar and a little patience yielded up some richly coloured yarn samples...and whetted my appetite for more. It'll take years to play wi...uh...learn the intricacies of plying yarn with colour. During the "learning" process I'll have to include more purchases of Fleece Artist's slivers and yarns to play wi...dang... study. (Note, hand-spindled one of FA's kid merino slivers in Caribbean colours yesterday (another treasure from Tuesday's WS foray). Absolutely gorgeous, and so summery on a drizzly April day).
Fun alchemy fact: the dye colours vary between powder, wet and dry states. Bottle green dye is quite green when powder; blue-green in wet form and teal when dry yarn. Seal brown is very dark in powder form; very dark in wet form and a light taupe as dry yarn. Moss green is the most fun as it is rust red in powder form and turns...well, moss green (yellow-green) in wet and dry yarn forms.
Next up, using some cheap Lee Valley paintbrushes to paint with dye. Should be messy. :)
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