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ACID MILLING DYES - FOR WOOL.
Notes:
The concentrated dye stock is 1% strength - i.e. 10 gram dye stuff to 1.000 ml water (1 litre).
Salt is used at 50% weight of wool. i.e. for 10 gram wool, use 5 gram salt
Acetic Acid (ready mixed at 2% solution) use 10 ml for 10grm of wool.
Dye Procedure
- 1. Weigh the wool. (In multiples of 10gm for easy measuring)
- 2. Soak in tepid water with a few drops of washing up liquid.
- 3. Prepare dye bath Water at 40:1 i.e. for 10 gm wool use 400 ml water.
Salt Dissolve salt in a little hot water and add to dye bath.
Acid. Add half of the acid.
(Salt acts as a retardant or leveling agent. Acid acts as the agent which causes the dye to react with the fibre molecule. For weak colours the half quantity of acid is sufficient; for strong colours the second half must be added 15 mins. After heating is begun.) Stir well.
- 4. Drain wool, then immerse in the dye-bath mixture. Warm slowly to just above blood heat. Let it stand for 10-15 mins while you prepare the dye.
- 5. Shake dyes well and pour some out into a measuring cup. Using a 10 ml syringe, measure out quantity required into another measuring cup (approx 1 ml for very weak colour, up to 10 ml or more for a strong colour. Use and experiment with mixtures of the colours, but keep records.) Return unmeasured dyes back into bottles and secure the tops. Wash out syringe into the measured dye as this was part of the measured quantity.
- 6. Remove wool and stir in the dye, washing out the measuring cup into the dye bath. Stir well and return wool to the dye bath.
- 7. Heat slowly, turning occasionally, bringing to the boil over a period of ½ hour or more. If necessary add the second half of acid after 15-20 mills by lifting out the wool, stirring in measured acid and returning wool.
- 8. When all the dye has been taken up, and the water is clear, boil gently for further 20 mins to fix the dye.
- 9. Allow to cool slowly. Rinse and dry.
You will need:-
Dye pan. Use stainless steel, Pyrex or enamel.
Obtainable from a good chemist:
4 10 ml syringes marked out in I ml.
4 100 ml measuring cups.
Acetic acid. Buy 33% strength from chemist. Measure 940 ml water into a 1 ltr bottle. Measure 60 ml of the acetic acid and add to the water and shake well. You now have 2% acetic acid.
JC
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