Achieving a uniform dye result

[Emma Green]

Hi All

I'm experimenting with dye (I use acid dyes on wool and silk) and am wondering if anyone has any tips to share - I can get a good sort of random look happening, but am looking to get more 'uniform' results, you know where you use 2-3 colours and they don't merge too much (sort of like in the image attached below).

Any tips from more experienced dyers much appreciated.

Rgds
Emma

[Marilyn Weyman Kegg]

Hi, Emma.

It really depends on which paraticular dyes you are using as "acid dye" is just one class of dye and not all the dyes within that class work well on silk. Lanaset and Sabreset do work exceptionally well on silk. I learned using Kiton dyes which I notice that Pro-Chem is phasing out. I haven't really tried the One Shot dyes I've used most recently to dye wool roving on silk. They work fabulously well on wool though.

I think that what you mean about 'uniform' results means that you have very clear transitions from one color to another without intermediate colors from the mix in between. The only way to really make that happen is to thicken your dye and paint it on or make sure that there is no movement inside the pot once the color is added, including the movement that might occur while you are adding the color. You could try using a big syringe, a pipetter, or even a turkey baster to add your dye liquid right at the surface of the goods to be dyed.

Here's a link to what I used to do. I just can't shift those big dyepots around these days because of back and knee problems. http://www.paintedewe.com/

Hope that helps.
Marilyn
(This is my first post here, I joined the network earlier today.)

[Emma Green]

Hi Marilyn
Thanks for that - by pure co-incidence I discovered just this week (by complete accident) a 'wool pad dye kit' stocked by Ashfords here in NZ. It thickens the dye as you describe and will allow me to paint it on to roving (and hopefully silk) and not have any blending.

It is in the post and I'll be popping some pics up here if I'm pleased with the results!
Best wishes
Emma

[Marilyn Weyman Kegg]

Well then, good luck with that, Emma! I haven't bought any Ashford products in ages so I wasn't aware of what all they are offering these days. Dyes and thickening agents like urea are pretty easy to come across here in the US these days as so many quilters are into dyeing and so many shops serve their needs.

Are you planning to post your results? Truthfully, I really like the serendipitous intermediate colors I get when the dye migrates around. Some of my favorite results have come that way and I've been known to put the pot on to cook, cover it and then prepare to ooh and ahh when the lid comes off and it all gets dumped into the sink to drain and cool off.

[Janine]

Try the book Hands On Dyeing. I recently attended a workshop on Shibori and nunofelting and she recommended this book.
I just picked it up from the bookstore so I haven't tried it yet, but I've read some already and it is very good. It explains all of what you are asking in very good detail.

[Ruth]

Hi Emma,

this kind of dyeing is called Ombre
you can see a you tube of the process here

and there are some instructions here

this really is a fun easy process.

have fun!