Halp!!! weight of wool and dyeing.

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rivetlicker_
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Halp!!! weight of wool and dyeing.

Post by rivetlicker_ » Wed Mar 02, 2011 12:32 am

Well, subject isn't too clear as to what I want to know, so let me explain!
I inherited a few bags of wool roving, a lot of which is undyed and white. This will be my first time dyeing the wool. I don't have scales and have no idea how much it weighs. FYI - it is pencil roving by the looks of things.
I intend to use Jacquard iDye, as Kool Aid is way too expensive here (import). I know there's also Dylon and it's readily available in retail, but iDye colours are nicer. iDye say that a packet can dye 2-3lb of fabric, so my question is, how many metres/feet of wool would make up that 1kg mark? I don't want to end up using too much or too little roving in each batch.
Anywho, off to buy my colours!
xo
Lara.

EDIT: I've actually seen some nice results with food colouring... Maybe I should go with that! :)
EDIT AGAIN: I think this thread has become redundant.

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VixenSingsBlack
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Re: Halp!!! weight of wool and dyeing.

Post by VixenSingsBlack » Wed Mar 02, 2011 1:01 am

rivetlicker_ wrote:Well, subject isn't too clear as to what I want to know, so let me explain!
I inherited a few bags of wool roving, a lot of which is undyed and white. This will be my first time dyeing the wool. I don't have scales and have no idea how much it weighs. FYI - it is pencil roving by the looks of things.
I intend to use Jacquard iDye, as Kool Aid is way too expensive here (import). I know there's also Dylon and it's readily available in retail, but iDye colours are nicer. iDye say that a packet can dye 2-3lb of fabric, so my question is, how many metres/feet of wool would make up that 1kg mark? I don't want to end up using too much or too little roving in each batch.
Anywho, off to buy my colours!
xo
Lara.

EDIT: I've actually seen some nice results with food colouring... Maybe I should go with that! :)
EDIT AGAIN: I think this thread has become redundant.

I've never used official wool dyes, but I know that 1lb of regular size roving wrapped in a ball is just smaller than a volleyball or soccer ball. I'd imagine that would be no different for pencil roving, just means more wrapping. So if you wrap your roving into a ball (not very tightly, just enough to keep shape) and it's bigger than a volley/soccer ball you're dealing with more than a pound, smaller and it's less.

For food coloring I have no exact measurements for you. It's just a test and go kind of thing! The more dye, the darker, the less, the lighter. Just be sure to stir when you pop the roving in!!

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rivetlicker_
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Re: Halp!!! weight of wool and dyeing.

Post by rivetlicker_ » Wed Mar 02, 2011 1:04 am

Thanks so much for that! :D

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VixenSingsBlack
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Re: Halp!!! weight of wool and dyeing.

Post by VixenSingsBlack » Wed Mar 02, 2011 1:05 am

Good luck! Just remember, you have lots of wool to experiment with :)

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rivetlicker_
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Re: Halp!!! weight of wool and dyeing.

Post by rivetlicker_ » Wed Mar 02, 2011 1:16 am

VixenSingsBlack wrote:Good luck! Just remember, you have lots of wool to experiment with :)
xD Sure do!

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miasmahair
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Re: Halp!!! weight of wool and dyeing.

Post by miasmahair » Wed Mar 02, 2011 3:01 am

Oh yay, you're joining the revolution! :P
From what I remember from the packing room, 100gm of roving is about 3m? Yeah, definitely try the food colouring thing with plain white vinegar as the mordant. You can get most colours pretty good, except maybe black and nice purple. For those I use Ashford dyes (of course! :P) which just use white vinegar as well, but are poisonous so you need a special dyeing pot. We sell heaps to Aussie (my daddy's just left for a wee trip to Tasmania, god help him!), and I don't know if you've seen it, but there's a list of places that sell our stuff at http://www.ashford.co.nz/newsite/dealer ... twork.html
Keep it real homegirl :) Can't wait to see what you come up with!

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rivetlicker_
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Re: Halp!!! weight of wool and dyeing.

Post by rivetlicker_ » Wed Mar 02, 2011 3:33 am

I'm pretty sure the closest stockist to me is in Rhodes, which is still a trek! LOL.
I may have to pop into the Cooma shop when I hopefully go down there later in the year! Will have to pick up some more felting needles too!
Totally didn't know your family were in the wool business (should've figured, I mean, those dreads and the fact that you're a Kiwi, lol jk).
Us Aussies love to give it to the Kiwi folk about their sheep ;)

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