# Dying Wool For Dummies



## HillBettyMama (Aug 29, 2015)

Little kids in white Marino plus church crafts equals stained wool sweaters...
How can I use natural, food based dyes to get purple, blue or green? I googled it and read a few pages. I am not sure if I am horribly confused or now have a basic understanding of what mordant is. Please help.


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## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

Food based dyes are pretty easy. Just use a vinegar bath after. It's been awhile since I've done it. Should be easy to find the process on Google.


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## DragonFlyFarm (Oct 12, 2012)

HillBetty, did you find the information you were looking for? Using food coloring, kool aide and vinegar work well, do some sample batches though. I found some of the colors fade surprisingly fast when exposed to sunlight.


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## HillBettyMama (Aug 29, 2015)

I haven't yet gone for it. It I think I will be boiling the wool in salt water and beet root juice. I want to use something nwtural so food dye and kool aid are out. I think salt can be used as a mordant. I would rather not have my whole apartment smelling of vinegar. Once I have the free time to try I will post an update n how it turns out.


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## romysbaskets (Aug 29, 2009)

HillBettyMama said:


> Little kids in white Marino plus church crafts equals stained wool sweaters...
> How can I use natural, food based dyes to get purple, blue or green? I googled it and read a few pages. I am not sure if I am horribly confused or now have a basic understanding of what mordant is. Please help.


I just bumped up my thread for you on my dying of some mohair. The pics and description will help as salt water is best for some natural dyes and vinegar for others etc. I used two methods. To get darker colors...black berries are a thought and I used what I had on hand. Coffee came out light and light golden brown colored.


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## romysbaskets (Aug 29, 2009)

Mordant is the fixative to equalize the acids to force the dye to be permanent. There are differing opinions on how long a natural dye lasts but...I have seen some very old hand made items that the Natives made with berry dyes and they stayed true to color for decades. 

"For that yarn, it simmered in a mordant made of vinegar and water for one hour, 1 part v to 4 parts w. When the hour was nearly up, I turned on the burner and made expresso to place the soaked fleece in. Then that simmered for an hour. Then it sat in the same coffee with burner off for 12 hours, was washed with wool soap and rinsed. I got the same color doing this 3 times." I did not boil the fleece. The colors I got were mainly easter colors. 

Plant dyes require vinegar:
1 part vinegar to 4 parts water or 
1 cup vinegar to 4 cups water.
Coffee requires the vinegar and lasts a lot longer then a tea dye.

For the Berry dyes:
1/2 cup salt with 8 cups cold water. I used sea salt.

On my thread I have pics of the process and the colors I got. 

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/co...fleece-yarn-natural-dye-process-pics-yay.html


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## HillBettyMama (Aug 29, 2015)

Thank you Romy! I think I understand now I think but I'm not positive. I also think dying will with food dyes will be a learning process rather than a simple this is how it's done.


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## romysbaskets (Aug 29, 2009)

HillBettyMama said:


> Thank you Romy! I think I understand now I think but I'm not positive. I also think dying will with food dyes will be a learning process rather than a simple this is how it's done.


You are very welcome! Pics help a bit I think and the approx ratios for the mordant. You can use beets and all kinds of veggies, and berries to dye yarns. The fun part is to take small batches of wool and experiment before you use the kids clothes to dye.


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