It probably could be a bit darker but sometimes you want a pretty pastel, which is what this is. I like it a lot! By the way, as for washing, I put more ties in my skeins of all types than you do (usually 4) but I wash out as much dye as I can, toss it into a laundry bag, and then throw it in the washer. Works like a charm for both cotton and superwash. I just use cold water, which is okay since everything is heat set long before then. A couple times I have had to deal with a bit of a mess but you just turn on the tv and fix it. Mostly not though.
I’ve used fiber reactive dyes on fabric for more than 20 years, and in my experience the biggest determinant sof color brightness is whether or not the fabric is mercerized, and amount of dye. 1% DOS on cotton with fiber reactives will not get intense color. The other point I would make is about washout. The only way to get the unbounded dye out is to heat the yarn or fabric above 140 degrees F. After I rinse and soak my fabric in cold water, I put it in a pot of water with some Synthrpol, and heat it to at least 180 degrees, and keep it at that temp for ten minutes. I’ve never had a bleeding problem since I started doing that, and I’m using a lot less water in my washout.
Oooo I never thought about heating the yarn with synthrapol after the dyeing. This is super interesting and I'll have to try it. I think that I just have to get used to trying to use WAY more dye then I'm used to on cotton fibers.
I dyed my first cotton warp a few months ago and I think it really is about the concentration of the dye solution. My warp came out super saturated. I mixed a half cup of water with roughly 1/2 teaspoon of dye (a little more for the red and dark green) and applied the dye with sponge brushes. Maybe it was the type of yarn too because I was using 5/2 mercerized cotton.
I’ve been dyeing lots of cottons lately! I love just letting them sit for a couple days the best and seem to get the least amount of bleeding that way. Also, rinsing in warm water helps too! So much that my rinses are almost mirroring washing wool 😱
I always end up with a faded look on cotton, too. You can do immersion dyeing with cotton/basic dye as well-- I like layering colors that way using resists.
@@ChemKnitsTutorials I start out hot to dissolve the dye and soda ash, then let the item sit in the bath for a day (or four, haha!). I'll move it around a couple times, make sure everything gets submerged for a bit.
I always love your videos. I've dyed a fair amount of cotton yarn and you might try using an amount of dye that is weighed out rather than "winging it". I usually use 1.5% to 4% total dry weight, depending on the color. So for a 100g skein maybe weigh out 1g of each dye and use that. Salt will also create a more vibrant color so maybe try adding 1 cup salt to the soda ash soak. Thanks for another great video!
I'll try adding some salt! And that is so much more dye than I use with wool and acid dyes - another reason why I need comments like this so I can learn and go even bigger!
Ooh! Can't wait to see more cellulose dyeing videos (I see you've mentioned having more in the queue in a reply to another comment). I've had similar results with cotlin and other plant-based yarns. I just cannot get them *vivid*. I've even tried fully dyeing, washing, drying, and then layering another round. I don't know what commercial sorcery is used to get bright cottons, but I suspect it's not something I'd want to play with in my home kitchen! As for what the linen adds to the blend, linen is even lighter and more breathable than cotton, and with wear and washing it softens up to at least as soft as cotton. It's an absolute delight in humid summers. My parents are from Queensland originally (am I imagining it or have you mentioned having studied at UQ?) and whenever we're visiting relatives there, linen is the best choice by far...! It does crease up like cotton though - probably even more than cotton - so if you're someone like me who can never be bothered ironing or otherwise de-crinkling clothes, that's something to keep in mind.
I'll be dyeing some cotton thread and some of the dyelishus cotton (the treated cotton that can be dyed with acid dyes) for some Lab Partners coming up. I'm super excited! I did study at UQ! I lived at St. John's college for the semester, and the students were super nice about integrating the exchange students into the social scene. (Even if we had "S." in front of our names, lol.) I spent most of my time in Brisbane but also traveled up and down the coast a bit.
Try using a Mr Clean magic eraser to clean your pan. If it doesn’t work on its own a dab of Reduran should clean the dye residue. I was able to get FRD out of a fake marble vanity top, and a plastic utility sink that way.
At least that dye isn't transferring. Although I had a pot that looked clean, and did a project yesterday and saw that there was a TINY hint of pink. If I had had something with pigment, I never would have noticed it it was so pale.
Oooh! Yay! I was digging through your channel yesterday looking for fiber reactive content! I have a bunch of bare cotton from Knitpicks I need to dye up from a previous project and I love seeing the ways you handle plant-based yarn!
Coming back here at the end to say that I had some rainbow yarn dyed with dharma's fiber reactive dyes. My partner...made a mistake and washed the top I had made with it in with the rest of my clothes and it ruined another garment I had made by staining the heck out of it. This was after the top I crocheted had been in water in lake michigan as well as a swimming pool. TT^TT This yarn is such a lovely soft rainbow though and I love it!
OH NO OH NO! That is my nightmare. I keep all tie dye shirts separate and wash them on their own (or with super dark colors) for 6 wears or so before I allow them in the general laundry. (I'm bad - I don't separate darks and white usually!)
from Gerry- The more you wash linen the softer it gets. Linen "breathes" more than cotton but it's expensive so maybe that's the reason for the blend. I like the level of color. Be blessed. '
I haven't! I've only used the oven for dyeing yarn once, and wasn't a huge fan of moving the pan in and then being nervous about burning. I would LOVE to get a proofing cupboard someday, though.
Do you need to use salt with plant based fibers? I wonder if you blend together the dye powders (in proportions) for the secondary colors before you put them on the yarn if that would make better blending. As a last resort, you could buy powders for the secondary colors. I hope you solve the color saturation issue. The colors when wet were so beautiful.
Random thought, next time, maybe use a white accordion fold tshirt under the yarn or just a scrunched up tshirt to soak up the "runaway" dye to prevent the color sections from blending.
I like this idea - but it also would remove some of the water I want to help dissolve the dye? Although if I put that in that center area where I had the paper towel....
I don't really know how much more dye you could have added, it looked pretty saturated to me! I think the combination of dye attaching to cellulose differently than wool as well as the beige from the linen blend explains the muted result.
That very well could be. I think I could have upped the saturation a bit. I have yet to end up with super vibrant cellulose yarn - it always is more medium saturated. I'm just afraid to push it I think!
Hi, love the video!! I am new to this and want to dye some cotton yarn for doll hair. Would I need to use Soda Ash? I want to use 2-3 different pastel colors. (Very small projects) Thank you so much, your video is very informative, one of the best I've seen and I've been doing alot of research. Thank you 🙂
It hasn't so far. Those stains haven't budged. Ironically I have a video coming up where a clean (so I thought) pot gave a bare skein the tiniest bit of pink blush on it. Something htat I wouldn't have noticed if I was even dyeing a pastel!
If you watch any tie dye tshirt channels, they use a LOT of dye powder, and I mean a LOT, in order to wind up with super saturated colors after washing. One of the creators recommends a product she buys from dharma that is used after washing to restore softness to the garment. I've not tried it, so I don't know if it would make any difference on yarn.
I’m no expert in dyeing yarn, I didn’t think heat setting would work on cellulose dyes. Suppose waiting 24 hours doesn’t make much of a difference to me.
Heat setting 100% works - in my experience the color pay off is equivalent to sitting at room temperature for 24 hours. Heat just speeds up the process. I don't think there was a huge difference (with tulip one step tie dye) when I heated and then waited 24 hours to wash. Most people that tie dye don't have a steamer set up to heat set the shirts - and since heat isn't required. There can be some differences in how the colors spread a bit if waiting 24 hours, so there are probably some differences. But since I have a dedicated dye set up I tend to heat. Honestly when I decide to heat set or wait 24 hours depends on my mood, what else I'm dyeing, and things like that. (Also what my schedule looks like the next few days.)
You can buy my cotton and cotton blend yarn on Etsy www.etsy.com/shop/chemknitscreations/?etsrc=sdt§ion_id=24047972
It probably could be a bit darker but sometimes you want a pretty pastel, which is what this is. I like it a lot! By the way, as for washing, I put more ties in my skeins of all types than you do (usually 4) but I wash out as much dye as I can, toss it into a laundry bag, and then throw it in the washer. Works like a charm for both cotton and superwash. I just use cold water, which is okay since everything is heat set long before then. A couple times I have had to deal with a bit of a mess but you just turn on the tv and fix it. Mostly not though.
That turned out very pretty 🥰
I would like to see you dye more cotton yarn
🧶
Thank you! 😊
@@ChemKnitsTutorials You're very welcome 😍🥰
I loved that you said 'behooved me' in discussing the wrapping.
I don't know what behooved me to say that. Lol. Sorry, I couldn't resist!
I’ve used fiber reactive dyes on fabric for more than 20 years, and in my experience the biggest determinant sof color brightness is whether or not the fabric is mercerized, and amount of dye. 1% DOS on cotton with fiber reactives will not get intense color.
The other point I would make is about washout. The only way to get the unbounded dye out is to heat the yarn or fabric above 140 degrees F. After I rinse and soak my fabric in cold water, I put it in a pot of water with some Synthrpol, and heat it to at least 180 degrees, and keep it at that temp for ten minutes. I’ve never had a bleeding problem since I started doing that, and I’m using a lot less water in my washout.
Oooo I never thought about heating the yarn with synthrapol after the dyeing. This is super interesting and I'll have to try it. I think that I just have to get used to trying to use WAY more dye then I'm used to on cotton fibers.
Thanks for exploring plant fibers more. I've had a bag of Cotlin in my stash for ages that I just can't work up the nerve to dye.
I have more cotton based videos in my queue to film!
I dyed my first cotton warp a few months ago and I think it really is about the concentration of the dye solution. My warp came out super saturated. I mixed a half cup of water with roughly 1/2 teaspoon of dye (a little more for the red and dark green) and applied the dye with sponge brushes. Maybe it was the type of yarn too because I was using 5/2 mercerized cotton.
I think the answer is to just use more dye. I'm just afraid to waste it, but I should go for it to get more saturated colors.
I use a cream soft cleanser to get the dyes off of my catering pans. I specifically use VIM
I’ve been dyeing lots of cottons lately! I love just letting them sit for a couple days the best and seem to get the least amount of bleeding that way. Also, rinsing in warm water helps too! So much that my rinses are almost mirroring washing wool 😱
I know the ratios of dye:water are more important with fiber reactive dyes, too. But I need to just film more!
I always end up with a faded look on cotton, too.
You can do immersion dyeing with cotton/basic dye as well-- I like layering colors that way using resists.
Oooooo! Do you do it cold or hot?
@@ChemKnitsTutorials I start out hot to dissolve the dye and soda ash, then let the item sit in the bath for a day (or four, haha!). I'll move it around a couple times, make sure everything gets submerged for a bit.
I always love your videos. I've dyed a fair amount of cotton yarn and you might try using an amount of dye that is weighed out rather than "winging it". I usually use 1.5% to 4% total dry weight, depending on the color. So for a 100g skein maybe weigh out 1g of each dye and use that. Salt will also create a more vibrant color so maybe try adding 1 cup salt to the soda ash soak. Thanks for another great video!
I'll try adding some salt! And that is so much more dye than I use with wool and acid dyes - another reason why I need comments like this so I can learn and go even bigger!
Linen blend!!! 😍🥰
Ooh! Can't wait to see more cellulose dyeing videos (I see you've mentioned having more in the queue in a reply to another comment).
I've had similar results with cotlin and other plant-based yarns. I just cannot get them *vivid*. I've even tried fully dyeing, washing, drying, and then layering another round. I don't know what commercial sorcery is used to get bright cottons, but I suspect it's not something I'd want to play with in my home kitchen!
As for what the linen adds to the blend, linen is even lighter and more breathable than cotton, and with wear and washing it softens up to at least as soft as cotton. It's an absolute delight in humid summers. My parents are from Queensland originally (am I imagining it or have you mentioned having studied at UQ?) and whenever we're visiting relatives there, linen is the best choice by far...!
It does crease up like cotton though - probably even more than cotton - so if you're someone like me who can never be bothered ironing or otherwise de-crinkling clothes, that's something to keep in mind.
I'll be dyeing some cotton thread and some of the dyelishus cotton (the treated cotton that can be dyed with acid dyes) for some Lab Partners coming up. I'm super excited!
I did study at UQ! I lived at St. John's college for the semester, and the students were super nice about integrating the exchange students into the social scene. (Even if we had "S." in front of our names, lol.) I spent most of my time in Brisbane but also traveled up and down the coast a bit.
Try using a Mr Clean magic eraser to clean your pan. If it doesn’t work on its own a dab of Reduran should clean the dye residue. I was able to get FRD out of a fake marble vanity top, and a plastic utility sink that way.
At least that dye isn't transferring. Although I had a pot that looked clean, and did a project yesterday and saw that there was a TINY hint of pink. If I had had something with pigment, I never would have noticed it it was so pale.
Yay! Fibre reactive dyes! 🥰 Love this!
Yay! Thank you!
Oooh! Yay! I was digging through your channel yesterday looking for fiber reactive content! I have a bunch of bare cotton from Knitpicks I need to dye up from a previous project and I love seeing the ways you handle plant-based yarn!
Coming back here at the end to say that I had some rainbow yarn dyed with dharma's fiber reactive dyes. My partner...made a mistake and washed the top I had made with it in with the rest of my clothes and it ruined another garment I had made by staining the heck out of it. This was after the top I crocheted had been in water in lake michigan as well as a swimming pool. TT^TT
This yarn is such a lovely soft rainbow though and I love it!
OH NO OH NO! That is my nightmare. I keep all tie dye shirts separate and wash them on their own (or with super dark colors) for 6 wears or so before I allow them in the general laundry. (I'm bad - I don't separate darks and white usually!)
In my experience - also for cellulose fiber - you can't over soak cotton/ cellulose too long in soda ash
This is super good to know. I was really pushing it with how long this guy was waiting.
from Gerry- The more you wash linen the softer it gets. Linen "breathes" more than cotton but it's expensive so maybe that's the reason for the blend. I like the level of color. Be blessed.
'
I do love my linnen blend dresses a lot for their softness and breathability. I just wasn't sure about thicker yarn. :D
Have you ever tried leaving it in the pan, adding a wet sponge, covering with foil and heat setting in the oven?
I haven't! I've only used the oven for dyeing yarn once, and wasn't a huge fan of moving the pan in and then being nervous about burning. I would LOVE to get a proofing cupboard someday, though.
Do you need to use salt with plant based fibers? I wonder if you blend together the dye powders (in proportions) for the secondary colors before you put them on the yarn if that would make better blending. As a last resort, you could buy powders for the secondary colors. I hope you solve the color saturation issue. The colors when wet were so beautiful.
I'm not sure about salt use - there are some salts that can help with the solubility of the dyes I tihnk. But I'm not good with play with salts.
Random thought, next time, maybe use a white accordion fold tshirt under the yarn or just a scrunched up tshirt to soak up the "runaway" dye to prevent the color sections from blending.
I like this idea - but it also would remove some of the water I want to help dissolve the dye? Although if I put that in that center area where I had the paper towel....
I don't really know how much more dye you could have added, it looked pretty saturated to me! I think the combination of dye attaching to cellulose differently than wool as well as the beige from the linen blend explains the muted result.
That very well could be. I think I could have upped the saturation a bit. I have yet to end up with super vibrant cellulose yarn - it always is more medium saturated. I'm just afraid to push it I think!
Personally I love the color saturation, there's just something about that purple+blue that reminds me of froot loops 😍
OMG I see it!
Hi, love the video!! I am new to this and want to dye some cotton yarn for doll hair. Would I need to use Soda Ash? I want to use 2-3 different pastel colors. (Very small projects) Thank you so much, your video is very informative, one of the best I've seen and I've been doing alot of research. Thank you 🙂
It depends on the fiber content of your doll hair. If it is a plant based fiber then yes you'll need soda ash.
You mentioned the stained pans a couple of times. Will that cause a problem when/if you dye wool based yarn in them?
It hasn't so far. Those stains haven't budged. Ironically I have a video coming up where a clean (so I thought) pot gave a bare skein the tiniest bit of pink blush on it. Something htat I wouldn't have noticed if I was even dyeing a pastel!
Dye fixative?
I'm honestly not sure that is necessary with fiber reactive dyes...
If you watch any tie dye tshirt channels, they use a LOT of dye powder, and I mean a LOT, in order to wind up with super saturated colors after washing. One of the creators recommends a product she buys from dharma that is used after washing to restore softness to the garment. I've not tried it, so I don't know if it would make any difference on yarn.
I think that I keep using powder like acid dyes, but there will always be some that rinses out. I need to be less afraid and go for it.
I’m no expert in dyeing yarn, I didn’t think heat setting would work on cellulose dyes. Suppose waiting 24 hours doesn’t make much of a difference to me.
Heat setting 100% works - in my experience the color pay off is equivalent to sitting at room temperature for 24 hours. Heat just speeds up the process. I don't think there was a huge difference (with tulip one step tie dye) when I heated and then waited 24 hours to wash.
Most people that tie dye don't have a steamer set up to heat set the shirts - and since heat isn't required. There can be some differences in how the colors spread a bit if waiting 24 hours, so there are probably some differences. But since I have a dedicated dye set up I tend to heat.
Honestly when I decide to heat set or wait 24 hours depends on my mood, what else I'm dyeing, and things like that. (Also what my schedule looks like the next few days.)
@@ChemKnitsTutorials that is all fair and understandable