Soaking cellulose before dyeing?

[zed]

My mind has gone completely blank, and I can't remember if I usually soak cellulose fibres before dyeing, and if so, do I add anything to the water?

I think I can picture it, but might be picturing fibres soaking for acid dyeing!

And I know I soak scrim before.

I've got loads of notes and photos, but none about that stage, can anyone help a forgetful idiot out?

[MTRuth]

Using Procion dyes? I would soak in soda ash water before dyeing for cellulose fiber.

[Shepherdess]

I soap silk hankies( they take for ever to get the edges wet even with some soap in the water) before dying with the MX dyes but not silk fabric. I think it depends on how hard it is to get the fibers wet. If they are hard to get wet then soak them if not I wouldn't bother. but I always use some variation of the low water immersion dying.

[halay]

I always soak everything in water before dyeing.

[zed]

Thanks

After reading what you said Ann, I pictured myself trying to wet kapok, and adding soap and it still being difficult, so I'm fairly sure now that I did soak everything.

I pretty much follow Lyn's scrim dyeing tutorial, so it'd make sense.