Gung Ho Transitional Dyeing

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miasmahair
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Gung Ho Transitional Dyeing

Post by miasmahair » Sun Mar 07, 2010 9:47 pm

So! Here's how I dye my transitionals, easy as pie.

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So you take your white vinegar and your food colouring and chuck it in a saucepan on the stove with the heat up high. I tend not to measure anything because I'm a bit lazy and it's more fun that way. I suppose it would be about a cup (maybe?) of vinegar. At the start, because we're dyeing from a light colour I just put in a few drops of each, for a nice light teal.

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When it gets a bit hotter everything will mix up and be nice, or you can give it a stir.

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While that's coming to the boil I grab my wool, measuring it roughly into lengths. Now, if you have a full kilo bump of wool like I have it's best to find the leader from the middle and use that. It comes out easier and you don't have to keep rolling the bump over to stop it breaking.

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Now seeing as I want the tips to stay that nice ice blue colour, I wrap firmly something (here I've used some leftover bits of the blue) around the point where I want the transitional to start.

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Then I put that end into a plastic bag and tie it firmly over where you've tied the roving up.

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Then I run the roving under the tap to get it nice and soaking through. It helps the dye to absorb more evenly.

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Then it's into the pot! I like to hold the roving just above the pan and use a jug to pour in more water over the roving (but that takes two hands so I couldn't photograph it haha). Dunk it all in and squish it around till everything has been covered.

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Then pull it out about an inch and leave to simmer until the water has gone pretty much clear. The dye will run down the inch and make it all nice and transitionally.

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Then if more want more colour on the ends, lift the roving out and add more food colouring. Then repeat, dunking it down and squishing around, while leave about 1 1/2 inches out.

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Then lift out a bit more and leave to simmer.

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I just hang the plastic bag end over the side of the pot while waiting for the colour to absorb.

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Then grab it out and give it a good rinse in cool water.

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Once the water runs clear (which it should do pretty much straight away) remove the plastic bag and your ties and rinse it all. Then separate the pieces of roving, give them a good wringing and hang out to dry. The dyed bits in the middle might get a bit wide and flat, but a gentle stretch will sort that out.

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And voila! There you have nicely dyed roving, ready to be split and felted. The good thing about dyeing the wool BEFORE you felt is that once you split it, any "blockiness" in the dyeing becomes much less noticable.

I'd love to see what you guys can do with your own woolly dyeing experiments. If you have any questions please let me know.
Better living everyone!

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MrsEss
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Re: Gung Ho Transitional Dyeing

Post by MrsEss » Mon Apr 12, 2010 9:25 pm

I never thought of the plastic bag thing....I'm gonna give it a try though....would've saved a few past mishaps when dying trans & dropping them into the pan by accident!
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zeara
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Re: Gung Ho Transitional Dyeing

Post by zeara » Sat Apr 17, 2010 4:48 pm

How permanent is the food dye for dying? I like to have my dreads installed for up to a month which means occasional washing is in order. Does the color fade out when you wash it?
"All my friends are murder
Hey, all my bones no marrows in
All these fiends want teenage meat
All my friends are murderers."

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miasmahair
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Re: Gung Ho Transitional Dyeing

Post by miasmahair » Wed Apr 21, 2010 8:38 pm

Haha, you make me feel so grubby, I don't wash my dreads when they're in :P
If your colour is really saturated you should probably stick to washing them in really cool water, but it really depends on how much food colouring you've used. If you've rinsed them in warm water before putting them in and there's no colour run you should be fine :)

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Candied_Angel
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Re: Gung Ho Transitional Dyeing

Post by Candied_Angel » Thu May 13, 2010 7:10 am

How would you do the tips a different colour?
For example: I'm planning on making some woolies in turquoise with orange tips.
Would I have to dye the tips first and then the main bases?

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zeara
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Re: Gung Ho Transitional Dyeing

Post by zeara » Mon Dec 20, 2010 6:13 am

I can't not wash my hair occasionally, it's not the grubbyness that bothers me, but my scalp gets all scabby and nasty otherwise.
"All my friends are murder
Hey, all my bones no marrows in
All these fiends want teenage meat
All my friends are murderers."

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