Instructions for dyeing fabric and threads

Basic Soada/salt Soak Solution

4 pints water
100g soda ash
50g salt

Ensure that soda and salt are fully dissolved before soaking fabric or threads. The soda will help the procion dye to set. The salt will help drive the dye into the fabric. Once the fabric or threads have been soaked in the solution, it can be stored in plastic containers for use another time. It may become slightly discoloured but this will not effect the dyeing process.

DYEING THREADS

1. Dyeing skeins

• Ensure that the skein is tied loosely with a different thread in at least 3 places to prevent tangling.
• Soda soak for at least 30 minutes. Some cotton threads benefit from being soaked in warm water first to help the uptake of the soda soak solution.
• Squeeze out excess soak solution and arrange thread on a plastic tray.
• Pour a small amount of the chosen dye colours into yoghurt pots and paint or pipette colours over the threads. Do not pour any leftover dye back into your main dye bottle as this will have been contaminated from the soda soak via your paint brush.
• Wrap the thread in plastic and leave to set for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight.
• Rinse out as normal.


2. Dyeing over bottles – useful when dyeing fine threads

• Wrap thread around an empty plastic milk bottle, tying the ends to the bottle handle. Do not layer thread too much as the dye may not penetrate all layers.
• Fill bottle with water to weight it down in the soda/salt solution.
• Place the wrapped bottles in a deep plastic container, fitting as many bottles as possible into the container as this will reduce the amount of soak solution needed. Spare bottles can be used to fill spaces.
• Pour in enough soda/salt solution to cover the wrapped threads and leave to soak for a minimum of 30 minutes.
•  Empty water out and place wrapped bottle onto a tray and paint or pipette your chosen colours onto the threads – do not tip unused dye back into main dye bottle as it will be contaminated with the soda.
• Place bottle into a plastic bag (cheap clingy type are the best).
• Leave to set for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight.
• Rinse thread whilst still on bottle. Allow to dry before winding off.