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Although Acid
dyes are usually recommended for protein fibres,
you can use fibre reactive dyes (here
is the fibre reactive dye recipe for cellulose
fibres). Even old dyes continue to work well on wool. Some of
the colours will dye more true to type than others. In
particular some blues produce unexpected results. These
directions are based on dyeing 500gm of fibre. Always test
samples before working on a large project.
-
 Wear rubber gloves and an apron or old clothes.
- Utensils used for dyeing should not be used for food
preparation.
- Always read the directions carefully before starting
You will need:
Technique:
- Wet the wool. Put 10 litres of warm (40°C) water, to 500 gm of wool. Add 2 ml of Synthrapol to ensure complete
wetting and removal of any oils or starches. Soak for 30
minutes. Squeeze out the excess water before adding the wool
to the dye bath.
- Make up the dye stock. Measure the dye quantity you
require, in to a 250 ml measure. The amounts required range
from 1gm for pale colours to a maximum of 10 gm for dark
colours. Black requires 25 gm of dye powder. First make a
paste of the dye powder by slowly adding 50 ml of water at
20 to 30°C, until there are no lumps. Add a further 250 ml
of water; stir thoroughly and set aside.
- Make the dye bath in a stainless steel or enamel pot.
For 500 gm of wool, measure:
10 litres of water at 20 to 30°C
2 ml Synthrapol
330 ml (ideally white, but brown works just as well without
any staining) vinegar
25 gm Sodium Glauber's Salts
The dye stock
- Stir after adding each item.
Add the damp wool to the dye bath. Bring the dye bath to a
boil gradually over a 45 minute period. Hold at simmering for
a minimum of 30 minutes for pale shades and up to 60 minutes
for black and dark shades.
- Allow the fibre to cool to room temperature in the dye
bath. Rinse well in warm water.
Safety:
There is no substantiated evidence of a causal link between
exposure to Procion MX dyes and any chronic or fatal illnesses.
Both the acid and fibre reactive dye families have a considerable
track record, of use in industry in considerable quantities
and in a less well controlled environment in the crafts
It is clear that there are sensible precautions to be taken
when handling dyes and chemicals, particularly as powders:
- Avoid inhaling dusts, they can produce an asthma type
reaction. People with known respiratory problems should
not handle synthetic dyes, and particularly the fibre reactive
dyes, in powder form. A dust mask should be worn when working
with the powders or exposed to an aerosol from spraying
dye solutions made up in water
- Avoid splashing solutions into the eyes, swallowing the
materials or prolonged skin contact. A simple 'non-contact'
approach (most people use gloves to avoid dyeing themselves)
plus normal, good, hygiene is sufficient precautions for
the occasional user
- Store in clearly labeled containers well away from children,
pets and foodstuffs. Treat dye powders and solutions with
the same caution as domestic poisons (e.g. strong cleaners,
bleaches or medicines)
- Dispose of spent solutions containing residues of the
dyes responsibly. Dilute and pour onto waste land or into
the sewage system. They have no known effect on the environment
when used in the quantities recommended in the literature
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