# Dyeing with amaranth- other plants and wool comb question



## InHisName (Jan 26, 2006)

Anyone here do natural dyeing? I have some red amaranth in the garden and was wanting to try it- would like to hear your experiences. 
Also, do you use the Viking combs on your wool? I have some beautiful Icelandic fleece and was wondering about seperating the "thel"- is there another way to seperate it?


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

I also have red amaranth in the garden, but I haven't dyed with it yet. I'm just venturing into natural dyeing. I've done some yellow onion skin, red onion skin, tansy & goldenrod. Somewhere i have a couple books. I'll see what I can find with dyeing with amaranth. Only found one of my books (and not the one I wanted). Nothing in there about amaranth.

I use Viking combs on Icelandic and Shetland to separate the thel & tog. The only other way is to do it by hand by pulling on the tog.


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## InHisName (Jan 26, 2006)

Did you use alum as the mordant, Cyndi? How did you like the results? And, about the combs, do you think the Louet mini combs would do, or do you need bigger combs to get the job done? Thanks! Teri


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

I have the mini combs and use them for my Icelandic fleeces. I don't separate tog and thel particularly, although if there's a really sturdy hunk of tog I'll pull it out with my fingers and set it aside. 

It's not a fast job, but I find it less strain than carding (probably because my carding technique is best described as 'vigourous and not particularly skilled') and you DO have to watch your fingers - ouch! Every so often I go over the combs and push them back into alignment as I ding 'em on each other and bend 'em a little.

Maybe if I was into doing bigger batches I'd want bigger combs, but I don't mind my small ones.


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## InHisName (Jan 26, 2006)

Thanks, frazzlehead- glad they can be used with the Icelandic. Am finding out each variety of sheep has it's own fleece characteristics- they are not all the same.


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

That's very true - they're quite different - but Icelandic and Shetland are waaayyy off to one end of the scale, with the dual coated breeds which are so different from working with single coated fleeces it's amazing. Within the 'types', there are still differences in wool characteristics, etc - but the difference between single and dual coat, and the long wool and shorter springier staple type tends to really show up in how you prep the fibre, I think.

I so greatly prefer prepping primitive fleeces, that's all I work with raw  (Helps that I have a flock outside too of course....)


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## InHisName (Jan 26, 2006)

So, sounds like you spin the Icelandic in the worsted fashion, rather than woolen, right? Do you do it in the grease, then dye (or leave natural)? Could I just use the flick carder, and open those locks before spinning? I really want to do these Icelandic fleeces justice, they are so nice. Just finished some Blue Faced Leister, so soft, but not as much elasticity as the Shetland. Our Shetland is the single coated type- so it seems more like the Romney, if that makes sense. I do have a wool picker, but hesitate to put those Icelandic fleeces through it.


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