Dyeing

I have an awful lot of Max’s
fibre , and while it has the most wonderfully soft handle, it spins up into a grey/brown mix and I want to dye it. I took about 16grms of carded fibre and pulled into a sort of roving, soaked it for a while in water with vinegar added; then drizzled some magenta, turquoise, and red dye onto it, then sprinkled yellow powder in a couple of places; encouraged the dye to spread and mingle by putting cling film over the top and squishing it, and steamed it for a good 30 minutes.

I was very pleased with the result. Even more pleased, I cannot tell you how much, that I didn’t manage to felt it.



I spun ( so want to say ‘span’) it up into a fine single and Navajo plied it. I’m really like the result and after knitting with it – on 4mm needles - I want to reproduce the colours as closely as possible to make my Dad a waistcoat for his birthday in early April.

So, can I replicate the effect with 300 gms?

I’m feeling nervous about this. I suppose I should have weighed and measured the amount of dyes I used, but, I feel that although I might not get exactly the same colours what I do get should still be attractive. The biggest problem I foresee is coping with 9 or 10 carded batts and having them come out near enough the same.

I think what will happen is; the colours will generally be of the same hue and tone in each batt, and if I am not happy with the colour variation between the batts I could re-card them once dry into more homogeneous colours.

In order to keep the graduations of colour through the garment I’m going to knit it in the round – and steek the armholes and centre opening. Again, this should help with colour variations, it will be a design ?ploy. I want it to have an opening in the front as Dad had a stroke years ago and can’t use his right hand.

I have enough fibre, but am I dying enough? It seems like a huge bag full but only weighs 350gms.

I’ll wing it. I will take notes this time and so should be able to reproduce the colours reasonably well.



Umm, far to much red. Something a little strange happened, the blue didn't seem to take, an awful lot of it washed out of the fibre while there was hardly any red coming out, and yet I added the blue to one end of each batt. I have run out of glauber's salts which you are supposed to use with these discharge acid dyes so maybe that's the problem, I hadn't used any with my original swatch so thought it would be okay.

It's okay, just. (There is a lovely teal shade in there which I would love to get again). I don't think Dad will like this as much, so I'm going to swatch using some black and try a simple fairisle pattern or maybe mosaic?