Dishwasher Dyeing
Why is is that Blogger seems to have only a 5 picture limit? It seems that whenever I try to load more than 5, Blogger says no way. Now I remember why I don't blog that often - between having to load pics on my computer, clean them up and crop them if necessary, and then wrestle with Blogger for an hour, only to post and have it disappear into the ether, I realize I'd rather spend my time getting cavities filled or something. Oh, well, we'll try to make lemonade out of this.
This is my first foray into dishwasher dyeing, a la Natasha (who got it from Shannon, if I remember correctly). Let me just say, it's AWESOME! If you want to dye a ton of fiber at once (and I only did about 4 pounds, just in case I bulloxed it up royally!) this is THE way to go! I learned a few things - a little bit of fiber in a quart bag will not dye all the way through, leaving white areas, which don't really bother me, but still. So next time I will be armed with more gallon bags than I had. Oh, and definitely leave the bags open to vent (thanks, Natasha!) but not too much - I had one bag fill almost entirely with water during the washing process, and had to run the dishwasher empty with just soap the next day to get the dye water sitting in the bottom out. I just threw in enough water to cover the fiber, added about a cup of vinegar (more for bigger bags, less for the quart bags) and threw them in!
Here are only a few pics of finished fiber, because that's all Blogger would allow me (you'd think with all the complaints Blogger bloggers make, they would improve the system - it's not like we're quiet about our complaints! I see them in just about every Blogger blog I visit regularly!)
This is BFL dyed with pale chartreuse and emerald green. There's the random, occasional splash of a pale olive-y color, too. Don't you just love the way BFL crimps? I love BFL - I think it's my favorite fiber to spin!
Here's some more BFL in reds, turquoise, and white - too "red, white, and blue" for me, but I may just list it to sell in my Etsy shop.
Ok, this IS a different pic, I swear! It's more BFL, and it has some green in it, too, in addition to the red and turquoise. I definitely need to squish the fiber around more when I put the dye in the bag, but I was afraid that the dyes would moosh together too much and would just turn out like mud. I need not have worried.
Well, I've tried three more times to post more pics, but that appears to be all I'm allowed. Another post to follow!
This is my first foray into dishwasher dyeing, a la Natasha (who got it from Shannon, if I remember correctly). Let me just say, it's AWESOME! If you want to dye a ton of fiber at once (and I only did about 4 pounds, just in case I bulloxed it up royally!) this is THE way to go! I learned a few things - a little bit of fiber in a quart bag will not dye all the way through, leaving white areas, which don't really bother me, but still. So next time I will be armed with more gallon bags than I had. Oh, and definitely leave the bags open to vent (thanks, Natasha!) but not too much - I had one bag fill almost entirely with water during the washing process, and had to run the dishwasher empty with just soap the next day to get the dye water sitting in the bottom out. I just threw in enough water to cover the fiber, added about a cup of vinegar (more for bigger bags, less for the quart bags) and threw them in!
Here are only a few pics of finished fiber, because that's all Blogger would allow me (you'd think with all the complaints Blogger bloggers make, they would improve the system - it's not like we're quiet about our complaints! I see them in just about every Blogger blog I visit regularly!)
This is BFL dyed with pale chartreuse and emerald green. There's the random, occasional splash of a pale olive-y color, too. Don't you just love the way BFL crimps? I love BFL - I think it's my favorite fiber to spin!
Here's some more BFL in reds, turquoise, and white - too "red, white, and blue" for me, but I may just list it to sell in my Etsy shop.
Ok, this IS a different pic, I swear! It's more BFL, and it has some green in it, too, in addition to the red and turquoise. I definitely need to squish the fiber around more when I put the dye in the bag, but I was afraid that the dyes would moosh together too much and would just turn out like mud. I need not have worried.
Well, I've tried three more times to post more pics, but that appears to be all I'm allowed. Another post to follow!
posted by Tala at 9:14 AM
2 Comments:
Wow, the fiber looks great! Someday I will try dyeing this way. You know, when i actually have some fiber to dye! I have trouble dyeing fiber using the microwave method because it takes so long (flat feet and a bad back makes standing for long periods of time very painful).
Hopefully I'll get my wheel back in the next day or so (I left it at a friend's house). Then I can finish up plying the BFL you sent and post a picture. It's turning out wonderfully!
WOW! you bringing any of that tomorrow? LOL
Really, You Go Girl! Dishwasher dying... who'd a thunk?
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