You learn by experimentation and by your mistakes. We are dyed in the wool experimenters, and the output of this weekend was dyed wool, so by definition...
As mentioned - the plan for CF project #1 is a three tone scarf - two shades of blue (from indigo) and then the natural white/cream. The indigo dye pot has been ready for about a week so with some well soaked wool samples, yesterday we tried the first experiments.
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| Coppery sheen (colour not really captured) |
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| Test sample of CF about to go into dyepot |
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| The 'hold it under the surface for 5 minute' process |
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| Top to bottom: locks, batt, CF, merino blend |
The lessons learned were: don't agitate the wool too much (we have semi felted locks and batt - movement and 100 degree mixture (alkaline) do the trick nicely), and wool types pick up different amounts of dye. In this case the CF was better than the merino blend. Both though are only a medium blue and far from the deep indigo colour that can be obtained. One check for possible reason - it is likely the mixture is too alkaline, something we can remedy by adding more of the mixture minus the washing soda. For the moment though the mix will be allowed to cool down and we will bring it back up to temp when back from Tennessee after next weekend. Bottom line - the final colour would do for the 'mid blue' - but does carry the distinct 'indigo mix smell' so will have to experiment with washing mixes when doing the rinse to lessen that.
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| Final colour - CF, merino blend |
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