CoIP Dyeing

Another first for dyeing - up until now we have only worked with indigo (the Clun Forest scarf was our first indigo and since then Anne has done a class in indigo dyeing (we now have a LOT of CF wool in dark blue)).  For the place mats I need stripes that will be a mix of colours to match the theme - in this case colours of Ireland.  I chose Kelly green (that was easy) forest green, gray, navy blue and sky blue.  The dyes are from Dharma Trading Co and are the fiber reactive dye range for natural fibers (I'm using linen). The instructions couldn't have been clearer and the procedure seemed pretty straight forward.  I chose to sensitize the material (the yarn) first and paint on the dyes.  That needed a little bit of thickening and adding all the appropriate amounts of dye per colour (some need more to get the brighter/darker colours).

All went well for the test stripe.

The dye factory

Note: the vodka bottle contained the thickened chemical solution to mix the dyes in NOT refreshment during the process.  The test stripe (1 inch of weft yarn) is on the white block, wrapped in glad wrap while the dye fixes.

24 hours later and after washing out the left over dye (very little) and drying it was time to try the weaving.

The test stripe

The measurement was not precise enough and the painted pattern 'smeared' across the stripe, but as it had started as a fairly random set of colour 'blobs and streaks' that didn't really impact too much.  I'll work on a more precise measurement before the stripes on the first mat, but keeping with the fairly random allocation of colours.  In the photo above the blue line is the cut mark at the start of the first real place mat, and the green marks at the selvedge were for marking the warp to enable me to measure the true width of a weft shot.

I'll be doing a production run of stripes over the weekend and will weave what linen I have on hand.  I should have enough for a set of four and then I have to wait for the back order of another cone to complete the rest.  It will be interesting to see what the next 'lot' is like - a small contrast with the warp would enhance that pattern even more, so oddly I'm hoping for a difference in the same product (which is possible between batches).