DYEING: Secret Techniques -- special effects!

Special effects can be achieved by using the properties of various fibers in a thoughtful way. For instance, most fibers that are handspun are either protein fibers like wool, silk, or other animal produced products, or cellulose products like cotton, flax, ramie, hemp, nettle, or manufactured cellulose fibers like tencel, rayon, cupra, etc.

Keep that in mind: protein or cellulose. Both can be universally dyed with procion dyes or dyes like RIT which will even dye acrylic (plastic) fibers. However, some dyes are specific to each. Acid dyes will dye protein fibers, but will rinse out of cellulose. Acid dyes range from koolaide and other food dyes to very expensive dye products. However, all work on protein in an acid solution.

You can thus combine a protein fiber like wool with something like tencel and produce certain effects becayse the tencel as cellulose won't dye in an acid dye. Right now I'm kntting a sweater with this knowledge in mind. It combines one strand of tencel with one strand of lamb's wool of a color that I don't really like. I plan to dye it in an acid dye to make a heathered shade of blue on the brown wool, leaving the tencel colorless. Then I plan to dye it with a procion dye to color the tencel a light shade of violet and over-dye the wool, giving the blue a purple tone. If all goes well I'll have a unique blend of shades specific to the garment.

Knowing these special dyeing properties allows you this sort of creativity in process. You can literally create one-of-a-kind garments or fiber projects. These principles apply to textiles generally including tapestry. Try this technique on some new project today!

Here are two dye sites to check out:
http://www.dharmatrading.com
http://www.prochemical.com

and in Canada:
http://www.gsdye.com

Lili

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