# dying yarn



## lovey (Nov 11, 2011)

I have dyed some wool yarn with indigo on Sunday and am still rinsing it! :sm03:


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## mama879 (Jan 27, 2011)

Oh no. To much dye? Or does that happen?


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## lovey (Nov 11, 2011)

Maybe, I don't know enough about dying to say. But I finally got tired of rinsing and have pit it to drip on the line and then will hang it to dry. Any other dyers out there?


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## mama879 (Jan 27, 2011)

Did you presoak the yarn with a vinegar bath, it should have soaked up all the dye left almost clear water and just a bit coming out in the rinse.


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## deenashoemaker (Nov 9, 2014)

Was it in the bath until the water was clear? I never had one that ran after the first couple rinses.


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## Goodshepfarm (Jul 20, 2014)

While I have never done an indigo dye bath, I was recently told that indigo will always run. I have made plans to learn indigo dyeing in a few weeks. I am so excited as it has been on my bucket list for years!

Is your yarn beautiful?


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## deenashoemaker (Nov 9, 2014)

Good info here, didn't know it would always run. Pics?


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## IndigoSpinner (Jul 9, 2011)

mama879 said:


> Did you presoak the yarn with a vinegar bath, it should have soaked up all the dye left almost clear water and just a bit coming out in the rinse.


Indigo needs an alkaline bath to work.

I've never tried this, and don't have a good understanding of it, but from what I read, if you leave the fabric or fiber in the dye bath to make it dark before you try to oxidize it, you'll have more problems with running. To have fewer problems, leave it in the dye bath for a relatively short time, take it out and oxidize it, then do it over and over again. A lot of light layers of dyeing, then oxidizing will be fixed better than trying to do it all in one go.


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## spins2knit (Jul 29, 2013)

It takes a lot of rinsing for indigo. It is also better, in my experience, to let it sit for a couple of weeks before you start. Don't know why.


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## lovey (Nov 11, 2011)

well, I was at a friend's house doing it. She seemed to know what she was doing. BUT, unfortunately, all the rinsing felted it, so it will be either a cat toy or compost!
It was a beautiful color and fortunately not a lot of good roving!


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## lovey (Nov 11, 2011)

it was roving, not yarn and I was hoping to spin it.


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## ilmacheryl (Feb 3, 2013)

When I took my last freshly dyed roving out of the last rinse water & after it dried, I noticed that it looked like it had felted somewhat, but now that it has been hanging for several days, it is looking fluffier. Don't give up on it just yet. If you can card it, you might still be able to spin it.


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## Cathy B (May 15, 2014)

I seem to remember reading that indigo dye does not penetrate the fiber like other dyes, but sits on the surface, which is why blue jeans continue to bleed and fade. Historically they used to use fermented urine to set indigo dye (preferably from little boys).


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## JuneB (Oct 10, 2014)

I set the color with white vinegar and cold water.


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## IndigoSpinner (Jul 9, 2011)

JuneB said:


> I set the color with white vinegar and cold water.


That works great if you're using acid dyes, but is really bad with dyes that use alkaline to set, like this!


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