Carol
New Member
Posts: 6
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Post by Carol on Apr 1, 2019 6:01:43 GMT
Hello all! I joined your group a while ago as a needle felter and now have a question that I am hoping someone can answer regarding wet felting. Actually it is not so much a question on wet felting but on using acid dyes on the silk I have purchased for my wet felting. I have purchased a bunch of Landscape Dyes and was reading the information from the company on the dyeing process. I have read a much about dyeing lately and a lot mention the need to use vinegar at some part of the process, generally at the later stages. The manufacturers instructions also covered dyeing using a microwave which is what I want to try but there is no mention of vinegar in that section. They indicate a need for vinegar when using the "on the stove" method but not when doing it in the microwave. Is there something about the microwave that makes vinegar unnecessary? I would appreciate any advice you can offer and I thank you in advance. Cheers Carol
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Post by MTRuth on Apr 1, 2019 12:44:31 GMT
Hi Carol,
I use vinegar with any method of acid dyeing. It helps to set the dye. You can either soak your fabric/silk first in vinegar or you can add vinegar during the dye process. The microwave is only adding heat.
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Post by Shepherdess on Apr 1, 2019 15:38:38 GMT
I agree. you can ad the acid to the dye water before putting it in the microwave. Never microwave dry. The best site I know that will give you instructions in most dye methods and tell you what all the things you use are for, and what you have to use and what is optional is Paula Burch All about hand dying. link When I started dying no one ever added salt to acid dying. now it seems common to add it. I don't use it.
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Carol
New Member
Posts: 6
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Post by Carol on Apr 2, 2019 6:49:43 GMT
Thank you ladies, your replies were very helpful.
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Post by Nettie Cross on Oct 23, 2019 17:53:12 GMT
Hello all! I joined your group a while ago as a needle felter and now have a question that I am hoping someone can answer regarding wet felting. Actually it is not so much a question on wet felting but on using acid dyes on the silk I have purchased for my wet felting. I have purchased a bunch of Landscape Dyes and was reading the information from the company on the dyeing process. I have read a much about dyeing lately and a lot mention the need to use vinegar at some part of the process, generally at the later stages. The manufacturers instructions also covered dyeing using a microwave which is what I want to try but there is no mention of vinegar in that section. They indicate a need for vinegar when using the "on the stove" method but not when doing it in the microwave. Is there something about the microwave that makes vinegar unnecessary? I would appreciate any advice you can offer and I thank you in advance. Cheers Carol
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Post by Nettie Cross on Oct 23, 2019 17:57:48 GMT
I use Jacquard Acid Dyes. My method is to add about 2 TBL SPs of white vinegar to a 1/2 gallon jar and 1 Tsp of canning salt, then the amount of dye. I add hot water (about 1/2 cup) and get everything to dissolve. Then I add very hot water from a tea kettle or kettle of almost boiling water, up to the 'elbow' of the jar, then put in my fiber (protein fibers such as wool and silk). I put lids on, then sit them in a cardboard box and put a thick towel over them to hold the heat longer. I let them sit until completely cool. I have very good results. Sometimes I will hot soak the fiber in a water/vinegar solution to pre-mordant the fiber for a quicker strike on the dye. "Strike" is what it's called when the dye is taken up very fast by the fiber.
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Post by Shepherdess on Oct 24, 2019 17:19:10 GMT
That's a nice easy method, simple and effective. Vinegar isn't a mordant though. Vinegar or citric acid is used to lower the ph to obtain the proper dye ph. Mordants act as connectors between a dye and a textile fibre
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