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Phaedra28
Gabber Extraordinaire
485 Posts |
 Posted - 03/13/2003 : 11:33:21 AM
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OK, new topic!
How does everyone here avoid felting wool when heatsetting dye?
To recap my answer: I steam set, for practical reasons, and just make sure that the fiber and the water heat up and cool down gradually. I put the yarns into their little packages, put them in the steamer, and then turn on the heat. They sit there until they're nice and cool, then gently soak out any residue or excess dye in a basin of tepid water. No sudden changes of temperature, no agitation, just gradual changes of temperature and gentle soaking. No problems so far.
How about everyone else?
(And since someone will be curious: I usually hand paint, rather than dying a solid color, so packaging the yarns keeps the colors from bleeding and getting muddy. And we don't really have a pot that I'd feel right sacrificing for dying, so the steamer set up is about the only choice I have. That's what I meant about practical reasons!)
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KathyR
Permanent Resident
New Zealand
2969 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2003 : 1:33:47 PM
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Like you, I make sure that the wool (as that is what I have always used) is brought up to temperature and cooled down again gradually. I also try to avoid stirring too much, but this is really hard to do! I get rather impatient with it! But I have had no problems, so far. I usually immersion dye, mainly as I haven't got anything suitable for steaming. But when I do, then I really want to try some handpainted yarn. Can't wait!
KathyR |
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KathyR
Permanent Resident
New Zealand
2969 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2003 : 1:33:47 PM
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Like you, I make sure that the wool (as that is what I have always used) is brought up to temperature and cooled down again gradually. I also try to avoid stirring too much, but this is really hard to do! I get rather impatient with it! But I have had no problems, so far. I usually immersion dye, mainly as I haven't got anything suitable for steaming. But when I do, then I really want to try some handpainted yarn. Can't wait!
KathyR |
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KathyR
Permanent Resident
New Zealand
2969 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2003 : 1:33:47 PM
|
Like you, I make sure that the wool (as that is what I have always used) is brought up to temperature and cooled down again gradually. I also try to avoid stirring too much, but this is really hard to do! I get rather impatient with it! But I have had no problems, so far. I usually immersion dye, mainly as I haven't got anything suitable for steaming. But when I do, then I really want to try some handpainted yarn. Can't wait!
KathyR |
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KathyR
Permanent Resident
New Zealand
2969 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2003 : 1:33:47 PM
|
Like you, I make sure that the wool (as that is what I have always used) is brought up to temperature and cooled down again gradually. I also try to avoid stirring too much, but this is really hard to do! I get rather impatient with it! But I have had no problems, so far. I usually immersion dye, mainly as I haven't got anything suitable for steaming. But when I do, then I really want to try some handpainted yarn. Can't wait!
KathyR |
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KathyR
Permanent Resident
New Zealand
2969 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2003 : 1:33:47 PM
|
Like you, I make sure that the wool (as that is what I have always used) is brought up to temperature and cooled down again gradually. I also try to avoid stirring too much, but this is really hard to do! I get rather impatient with it! But I have had no problems, so far. I usually immersion dye, mainly as I haven't got anything suitable for steaming. But when I do, then I really want to try some handpainted yarn. Can't wait!
KathyR |
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Phaedra28
Gabber Extraordinaire
485 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2003 : 5:34:34 PM
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Aha! For steaming, I've taken over a large pot and old steamer insert from the kitchen. My husband hasn't yet noticed  If you can't do that, though, you can cheat by making your own. Use the same pot you use now for immersion, and take a large can, coffee can, pineapple can, whatever, cut both ends off, and put it in the pot with an aluminium pie plate on top. That'll hold the yarn out of the water, and you can steam it that way -- always assuming you have a top for the pot, that is. Even if you don't, you can also do something similar using aluminium foil in place of a top, although a top is certainly easier.
The little packages I make for the yarn have been really useful to me, and I'll bet you could package the yarn this way and just simmer it, too. I lay out a strip of plastic wrap, lay the yarn over it and wrap the plastic around it as neatly as possible, so that the colors don't get mushed together too much. Then, when it's hermitically sealed, I roll that into a little snail's shell and wrap it in aluminium foil -- usually two or three layers, to keep the dye inside, and not all over everything.
With all the foil on it, the dye usually stays inside, and the water/steam stays outside. You might try doing that, then putting it in a small amount of water.
My goodness -- what a terrible thing, not to be able to hand paint yarn! We'll have to fix that! heheheh
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Phaedra28
Gabber Extraordinaire
485 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2003 : 5:34:34 PM
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Aha! For steaming, I've taken over a large pot and old steamer insert from the kitchen. My husband hasn't yet noticed If you can't do that, though, you can cheat by making your own. Use the same pot you use now for immersion, and take a large can, coffee can, pineapple can, whatever, cut both ends off, and put it in the pot with an aluminium pie plate on top. That'll hold the yarn out of the water, and you can steam it that way -- always assuming you have a top for the pot, that is. Even if you don't, you can also do something similar using aluminium foil in place of a top, although a top is certainly easier.
The little packages I make for the yarn have been really useful to me, and I'll bet you could package the yarn this way and just simmer it, too. I lay out a strip of plastic wrap, lay the yarn over it and wrap the plastic around it as neatly as possible, so that the colors don't get mushed together too much. Then, when it's hermitically sealed, I roll that into a little snail's shell and wrap it in aluminium foil -- usually two or three layers, to keep the dye inside, and not all over everything.
With all the foil on it, the dye usually stays inside, and the water/steam stays outside. You might try doing that, then putting it in a small amount of water.
My goodness -- what a terrible thing, not to be able to hand paint yarn! We'll have to fix that! heheheh
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Phaedra28
Gabber Extraordinaire
485 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2003 : 5:34:34 PM
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Aha! For steaming, I've taken over a large pot and old steamer insert from the kitchen. My husband hasn't yet noticed If you can't do that, though, you can cheat by making your own. Use the same pot you use now for immersion, and take a large can, coffee can, pineapple can, whatever, cut both ends off, and put it in the pot with an aluminium pie plate on top. That'll hold the yarn out of the water, and you can steam it that way -- always assuming you have a top for the pot, that is. Even if you don't, you can also do something similar using aluminium foil in place of a top, although a top is certainly easier.
The little packages I make for the yarn have been really useful to me, and I'll bet you could package the yarn this way and just simmer it, too. I lay out a strip of plastic wrap, lay the yarn over it and wrap the plastic around it as neatly as possible, so that the colors don't get mushed together too much. Then, when it's hermitically sealed, I roll that into a little snail's shell and wrap it in aluminium foil -- usually two or three layers, to keep the dye inside, and not all over everything.
With all the foil on it, the dye usually stays inside, and the water/steam stays outside. You might try doing that, then putting it in a small amount of water.
My goodness -- what a terrible thing, not to be able to hand paint yarn! We'll have to fix that! heheheh
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KathyR
Permanent Resident
New Zealand
2969 Posts |
Posted - 03/14/2003 : 7:11:17 PM
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Thanks for the steaming ideas, Phaedra. I will certainly have to try that. I had a look at the website for the yarns in yesterday's KR newsletter and got a lot of colour ideas I want to try out. With your idea for steaming, I now only have to find some suitable yarn. I seem to have run out of plain natural yarn! Looks like a trip to the LYS is in order. Yahoo!
KathyR |
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KathyR
Permanent Resident
New Zealand
2969 Posts |
Posted - 03/14/2003 : 7:11:17 PM
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Thanks for the steaming ideas, Phaedra. I will certainly have to try that. I had a look at the website for the yarns in yesterday's KR newsletter and got a lot of colour ideas I want to try out. With your idea for steaming, I now only have to find some suitable yarn. I seem to have run out of plain natural yarn! Looks like a trip to the LYS is in order. Yahoo!
KathyR |
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KathyR
Permanent Resident
New Zealand
2969 Posts |
Posted - 03/14/2003 : 7:11:17 PM
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Thanks for the steaming ideas, Phaedra. I will certainly have to try that. I had a look at the website for the yarns in yesterday's KR newsletter and got a lot of colour ideas I want to try out. With your idea for steaming, I now only have to find some suitable yarn. I seem to have run out of plain natural yarn! Looks like a trip to the LYS is in order. Yahoo!
KathyR |
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