Wool Dye

[Highlander73]

I recently made a pair of leggings out of wool...When dyed to a nice brown I rinsed per directions and it all washed out.
Is there a special way to dye wool or is there a special dye for it?
Highlander

 

Probably need to use a mordant after you dye it to make the dye stick. Try soaking it in salt water or alum. Mordants vary with the type of dye you're using and there are several types. I'd suggest Googling it to see what you can find.

Sean

 

[Highlander73]

So a mordant helps to set the dye ?

 

[Wefarmasmidgen]

Depends on whether you use natural or acid dyes. I will assume, since you went to all the work, that you used natural dye of some sort. Natural dyes usually need be mordanted; alum is the safest and most common. Dissolve some alum in warm water, and presoak your wool article, then place it in the dye bath. There should be enough dyebath to cover the article. Bring it to about 180 degrees and hold it there for a half hour to an hour and it should give you a good color (depending on how much dye material you have). Turn off the heat and let the whole thing cool a bit. When it's cool, rinse the wool, gently, in water about the same temperature.

If you used acid dye, presoaking in vinegar works about the same way.

Soaring Spirit
*************
Don't take life too seriously, it isn't permanent

 

[Highlander73]

I aint sure what RIT is but I used salt and everything...should I let the article dry before rinsing?
Highlander

 

[Wefarmasmidgen]

RIT is a commercial dye that you can buy in any five and dime - usually in the fabric dept.

No, you don't (and probably shouldn't) let the wool dry before rinsing. Just be sure the temperature of the rinse water is about the temperature of the wool. Wool hates to be shocked (cold to hot, or hot to cold) and it doesn't like to be jostled a whole lot - hence "gently rinse and squeeze dry." It's the main reason you don't aggitate(washing machine)or tumble(dryer) your wool - it shrinks under those conditions. After gently squeezing the water from your wool, you may lay the item on a bath towel, roll it up in the towel, and get a whole bunch more water out before setting out to dry - after the rinse.

Soaring Spirit
**********
Don't take life too seriously, it isn't permanent

 

[Trina]

RIT dye doesnt usually do to well dying wool... there are dyes made especially for wool.. here is a sight that tells you how to dye wool using natural things I use coffee and tea alot to dye things.[url] http://www.pioneerthinking.com/naturaldyes.html[/url]
beleive it or not koolaid powder is a great dye for wool, but if your wanting brown probably will not work... you can go to a site that sells wool, or a spinning site, and probably find some dye that is made especially for wool...
as one poster stated you do not want to shock your wool or agitate it... but once your done dying it and rinse it you can put it on spin in your washer and spin it out with no problem...then lay it out on a fluffy towel to dry

 

[tom hargrove]

im wondering if any of you have ever actually dyed wool in rit dye , i have done numerous blanket items with excellent results and if you rinse before you let it dry most of the color will wash i let it dry then soak it in clean cold water then squeeze out the excess what dye that did not take will wash out but the dryed color will stay fast after rinse lay it out to dry again and it is done.