# dyeing, need help



## fiberfaerie (Apr 14, 2008)

Hi guys,
I dyed some Romney with cochineal, after mordanting with alum and cream of tartar, trying for a deep dark red, however I did not have enough cochineal, and wound up with not enough redness, still had a pinkish tingebut deep colour, I would like to redye when I get my new cochineal....questions
1 do I need to remordant it was washed post dye in orvis
2 do i need to use original needed quantity of dye, or can i make a weaker solution as it almost there...new to all this as you can tell
thanks in advance for the help i know I will get, 
Glenda the good (mostly)


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## Guest (Sep 1, 2008)

Good Lord!!! I thought you were dying and needed help.


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## Baba (Aug 7, 2008)

dye with the original amount needed. Dont short yourself or you will have the same problem.


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## fiberfaerie (Apr 14, 2008)

sorry didn't mean to alarm anyone, this is after all a fiber board! how about mordant, does it permanently affix or need redoing, is there a time frame before it needs to be redone, my books do not seem to cover this.
thanks, Glenda


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## Somerhill (Dec 13, 2005)

Well heck, you did spell it correctly. :clap: Most people leave out the "e" in dyeing, which for some reason, drives me crazy. 
Lisa


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## MTDeb (Feb 20, 2003)

I'm dying to know the answer to your dyeing question too, fiberfaerie, lol! I know you can mordant fiber, let it dry and then dye it later but I'm not sure about after it's been dyed if you have to mordant it again. I would think it'd be all right but I'm not sure. Hope somebody has an answer!


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## MTDeb (Feb 20, 2003)

I asked our spinning guild guru, Linda, about this. She teaches nationally and has probably dyed hundreds of pounds of fiber. We're so lucky to have her here in our own guild. She has some great information on our blog too. http://www.montanamadetradingpost.com/blog/ Here's her answer to this question ---

Once you mordant yarn or other things, it is chemically attached for all time. Often I dye with some plant and when I get done, it is a puny color. Then months or years later, I will overdye again with something else. Usually for my overdye, I use cochineal or indigo. If I do that, I do a quick dip in the indigo vat. If I use cochineal I'll use a very weak solution. Cochineal dye pots never completely exhaust. I use them 10-12 times getting less red and more pink as we go. So I keep the weak solution in gallon milk jugs for months and use them to spice up other colors.

If the cochineal is turning more purple or magenta as you dye, then add a little cream of tartar or tartaric acid to make it more. Linda


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

I think Lezlie is the most well versed person on this board with plant/animal dyes. You may want to send her a pm if you want to get into a dye conversation beyond the answer Linda gave.


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## kesoaps (Dec 18, 2004)

MTDeb, thanks for the gallon milk jug idea! I never think to save left overs...(smack me with a V-8)


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## fiberfaerie (Apr 14, 2008)

thanks guys, I knew I could get an answer here, 
Glenda


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## Katherine in KY (May 11, 2002)

You can also save your alum mordant bath and re-use it adding a bit more alum and cream of tartar (don't remember the amounts off-hand). Of course, don't do like me--save it and then forget to use it LOL!


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## fiberfaerie (Apr 14, 2008)

is it possible to DO ANY HARM with alum or cream of tartar, ie, could i just wing it and add hALF AS MUCH AGAIN FOR EXAMPLE, TO SECOND BATH? sorry about the caps lock, i can spin standing on my head, but never did learn tl type!
Glenda


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## Katherine in KY (May 11, 2002)

Glenda, too much alum can damage the wool, making it sticky and kind of stiff. I looked up where I first read about re-using the mordant bath. You were right; add half the original amount of alum to renew the bath. You can use it until it starts looking dirty and cloudy. Then pitch it and start again. HTH.


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