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Technique
One jar will dye up to 1 Kg in dry weight depending on the depth of colour you require. It is better to err on the side of caution and dye too light as you can always re-dye darker. This can be achieved by either putting material back into the dye after rinsing, and then simmering for a longer time, or by adding more dye. If you add more dye it must be before you add the material and it must be dissolved properly, otherwise you will get a mottled effect.
Although the dye is non toxic it is recommended that you wear rubber gloves to avoid staining your hands.
Try not to shock fibres by subjecting them to sudden changes in temperature try to keep the water
you use to wet and rinse the mohair at a similar temperature to the dye.
These dyes can
also be used overnight to dye cold but the colours will be lighter
| Method |
| If you are
dyeing a single teddy
cut out him out and put the pieces on one side. |
| Put enough water in
a saucepan or pot to cover the cut pieces and allow a little movement
- don't make it too wide or two deep or you will end up using more
dye than is needed. |
Bring the water
up to warm and add a little dye and stir to dissolve the dye.
The amount of dye needed could be as little as a quarter of a teaspoonful, depending on the size of the teddy and the strength of colour
required so dont' over do it |
Test the
colour with using a wet scrap of teddies mohair
and if necessary add a little more dye |
| Wet
mohair in warm soapy water and gently squeeze (although the soap isn't always necessary), rinse and add to the dye bath. |
| Stir well to make sure the mohair is thoroughly wetted or you could end up with a mottled effect. |
| Bring to a simmer slowly
(but not to the boil) and simmer for the required time. This could be just seconds for a light colour or up to 20 minutes for a really dark shade. Stir occasionally. |
| You can
tell when the dye will have been absorbed. as the water in your saucepan
will have turned from inky to what looks like weak tea. |
When you have the required colour remove from the saucepan and rinse firstly in hand hot water and then in warm water. Rinse well.
Condition with fabric or hair conditioner if required. |
Note:
You can add a few drops of dye assist to one pint of the dye mixture, this will allow you to
use less dye or work at a lower temperature. |
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