I'm "dyeing" to know......

[Susan_WW]

.....how you keep your dyed yarn colorfast!!!

I've been having alot of trouble lately keeping my hand dyed yarn colorfast. I test all of my yarn by soaking in very warm water with a scrap of white yarn in there to see if it bleeds on to it.

I've been having tons of trouble no matter what type of dye I use - food coloring, acid dyes, Rit, etc. I've decided to completely give up on Rit - I realized that its not a quality dye. But I've been using Wilton's like alot of other mamas do and I can't get it to set properly.

I've been soaking the yarn in vinegar & warm water for about 20 min. Then I boil a pot of water with the Wilton's in it and add about 1/2 c of vinegar or so. I put the soaked yarn in the hot water and let it sit for a few hours (I used to let it only sit for 1/2 hour but someone suggested a longer soak time). The dye water is completely exhausted. Then I rinse ALOT! It does rinse completely clear, but to test the color, I put it back in very warm water to soak and the soaking water winds up the color of the yarn (and the white yarn winds up a very light shade of the color). I am trying to simulate what the soaker would go through when it is lanolized.

Can anyone please help?!?!?!?!??! :boggled This is making me want to pack up shop......

Thanks in advance!!!!!!

[pmcgary]

I usually try to remember to add a bit of salt in there too (with the dye and water and vinegar -- oh and the yarn)

I also do a vinegar soak after dying followed by a good steam in the veggie steamer. Seems to do the trick.

We will be putting it to the true test later tonight as I have a black soaker (wilton's) that seems to be transferring dye so I will do a vinegar bath and steam to it. (I have to kitchener the crotch first.)

[Meredith]

I am going to move this to yarn yoga...

and then I will add what I do. I also have a good steamer, and I steam the crud out of it after I dye it. It really seems to do the trick!

[ravingcutie]

microwavee it for 3-5 minutes, let it cool & repeat. I think that you will have runoff the 1st few washes, it's just due to excess dye. But mine has been extremely light runoff - similar to washing a new piece of clothing. That's worked for me, and I "paint" w/ cool water & extremely concentrated dye, then microwave to set. This also exhausts the dye - only clear water runs off. Then I do a couple more miccro sessions in a water/vinegar bath. HTH. :lookroun:

[Susan_WW]

OK ladies! Thank you so much for your responses! I'm off to try to set my dye.......... :sigh:

[Meredith]

Yes... forgot to add that I use the micro method, too... but have been laying off the micro because it is starting to sound funny.

But do you know what wool smells like when it is burnt? NASTY! I burned some in the microwave a few weeks ago. YUCK!

[Susan_WW]

But do you know what wool smells like when it is burnt? NASTY! I burned some in the microwave a few weeks ago. YUCK!

I am trying the steamer method right now. I've used the micro before but I didn't have good results. I can't even imagine how gross burnt wool smells :goodgrief

[pamelamama]

How long did you microwave it that it burnt? :eek

[ravingcutie]

EWWWWWWWW! I burned some of my wool once. when I got it too near the burner. I can only imagine what a lot of burned wool would smell like. I'd be mad too, after all the set up it takes to dye the stuff!

[Meredith]

How long did you microwave it that it burnt? :eek

Very embarassed to admit... it was a SMALL amount and I nuked it for 10 minutes!!! With no extra liquid in there with it! So it was one of those *d'oh* moments!!!! :oops:

[ravingcutie]

mmmm...Is that dinner I smell?

[Susan_WW]

The dye has set :thumb You ladies are AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!

Here's what I did:

I soaked the wool in a mixture of about 1 cup vinegar, warm water, and a touch of baby shampoo for about 15 minutes or so.

I boiled a pot of water, added the Wilton's, and about another 1/2 cup vinegar. I let it return to a simmer, added the wool, let it simmer again. Then I shut the burner of, covered the pot, and let it sit for about 2 hours. The dye was completely exhausted. I then took the wool, squeezed out all the excess liquid, and put it in a pot of pure vinegar. I put it in a steamer basket in a large pot and left the burner on low for about an hour. I pulled out the yarn and let it cool off. Then I rinsed it in very warm water. There was absolutely NO color runoff! It was amazing!!!!

I just love you guys! :love :love :grouphug :wowza

[ravingcutie]

Yay :)

[BethyM99]

I'm going to have to try that. I've got a varigated skein that I"m knitting and my fingers keep turning pink. :(

I'm going to finish knitting it and then vinegar soak/steam it. I hope I have as good of results and don't end up with it bleeding all over itself... I love the colors the way they are but I know I should have avoided the red. Phewy... I used Wilton's BTW, first time. When I did Kool-aid I had none of these problems!

[pmcgary]

I have pink tinged diapers to prove it. Actually the pink washed right out. But I think maybe all of the reds may tend to that. Though the Wilton's blues were what I had the trouble with. It was a varigated that was a beautiful bright blue, yellow and green....it turned into a nice blue, green and greenish yellow. And the shorts were too small for my dd anyway.

[BethyM99]

Did it turn that way when you were trying to wash it? I'm hoping to finish it and then toss it in a vinegar bath and microwave it... I'm afraid if I 'wash' it will bleed everyone


I suspect as long as I don't felt it, I'll be OK... no matter how ugly it ends up it should still work :)

You are getting ready to kitchner? What is your plan of action for the black one????I'm still on the body, so I won't be done for a day or so.

[koolsheepmama]

Yes, red will tend to bleed on the diaper forever, as far as I can tell. It always washes out, though. I think it's actually a chemical reaction between the urine and the dye.

[ravingcutie]

Say it ain't so! I have a soaker all knit up in a beautiful combo - with Wilton's red in it. It actually didn't stay red, now it's more on the hot pink/rose side, but I still like the combo. Will have to go steam the soaker now. :irked It's the first time I've used the red; while I was dyeing and knitting I didn't have any bleeding problems, so maybe I'll get lucky.

[BethyM99]

I hope so raving... I'm hoping my problem is related to being rushed by a 3 year old and a new baby and not rinsing enough. And, I'm hoping that if I rinse the finished soaker I can avoid a bunch of bleeding. I'd love to see a pic of yours! I need to get my camera out and take one too. I'm so thrilled with the colors and I just know they are going to bleed all over each other :irked

Knit on I say! Knit on... at least noone has asked me yet why my hands are pink. :oops:

[ravingcutie]

Yeah, I need to get it finished up & take a picture of it. I believe that I am going to sell it. It's beautiful, but bigger than my girls need. But first I have to figure out how to use my new camcorder to take digital stills and then get them onto my computer. Not so much time for reading techie manuals now that the twins are here. Maybe my dh will help - if the girls cooperate. I'm going to have to get this done sooner or later if I hope to sell on a regular basis. Plus I'm the moderator of the gallery - you think I'd at least have a picture in there, wouldn't you?

[BethyM99]

I hear you there! My baby was born the 7th of April, between him and the (almost) 3 year old I keep busy enough!!!

Congrats on the babes :)