Application
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Measure out the correct amount of hot tap water (300mL water for 100g packet of dye powder, 600mL for 200g of dye powder). Pour the whole packet of dye powder into the water and stir for 2 minutes until dissolved.
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Rinse the fibre, yarn or fabric and spin dry, leaving it barely damp. Lay out a sheet of plastic; apply the dye to the fibre, yarn or fabric using your choice of technique.* Roll it all up in the plastic and stand in a warm place for 24-48 hours. To check if the dye has set, squeeze the fibre, if the liquid is clear, the dyes are fixed. If there is still colour in the liquid, leave it for longer. The rate of fixation is dependent on the temperature. At low temperatures, the fixation period may be longer. The colour you see when applying is the end result; what you see if what you get.
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Rinse the dyed fibre/fabric in warm water to remove excess dye and setting agents, dry as usual.
* Dyeing Techniques
Dye solution may be applied by many techniques:
- — Place fibre in a plastic bag, randomly squirt in 2 or 3 colours, gently squeeze bag to ensure dye covers fibres.
- — Dip dyeing (squeeze out excess dye).
- — Paint brush or roller, spray gun, screen/block
- — Printing, warp painting on loom, tie dyeing
- — Any other method you can imagine!
Although liquid dye is thicker than water, it may be thickened further by adding Earth Palette Thickener.
To rapidly fix dyes other than waiting 24-48 hours:
- — Place in a sunny position
- — Use a microwave for approximately 3 minutes on medium, leave to cool before rinsing.
- — Slow cooker, approximately 3-4 hours.
- — Pre-set oven at 100c, put the dyed wool in an oven bag and place in oven for 10-15 minutes.
- — Dry the dyed fabric using a hair drying, then iron with a steam iron until fixed.
Tips
A wide range of tints and shades can be obtained: use Clear to lighten, and Black to darken the dyes. For lighter shades, start with Clear, add small amounts of liquid dye until desired tint achieved. For darker shades, start with liquid dye colour, add a few drops of Black, mix, continue to add more black until the desired colour is achieved.
Standard liquid dye solution can be mixed: e.g. to make lime green - start with yellow then add a few drops of turquoise until desired colour is achieved.
A good 'pick-up' of colour is about 150mL of dye liquid to every 100gms fibre, yarn or fabric.
Only when dying greasy wool, a small amount of 'Fixing Agent A' is necessary to give a good result of colour to retain the grease without damaging the surface of the wool fibres.
Earth Palette uses reactive dyestuffs which react with the fibre, forming extremely fast bonds, giving a dyeing which is colourfast to light, washing, perspiration, rubbing etc.
Warning
As with all dye-stuffs care must be taken by using gloves and a mask, particularly while handling the dye in powder form, and use equipment only for dyeing purposes.
Liquid dye mixture will keep for several years stored in glass, or heavy duty plastic containers.
Store dyes safely.
Keep out of reach of children.
Demonstration Videos
We will begin posting demonstration videos sometime this May.