Hand DyedThreads

Now we have the new dates for the Sydney Show I thought I better get cracking on the Hand Dyed Threads.

This is the dye thickener. It looks like gelatin and mixes up in a very similar way. I usually make up the whole container, it keeps very well in fridge.

                                                                                                 

Threads pre-soaking in the soda ash solution. I just keep using this mixture until it has all disappeared.

                                                                                                

Here I have mixed up the dye with the thickener. The back right  - the dye powder is still sitting unmixed. This mixture is Red, Orange and Pink. One of most popular.

 Here the threads have been painted.  They now need to dry, then  heat set before being rinsed. At this stage they always look very blocky. The colours blend gradually from one colour to the next when seen with the naked eye. This process takes a bit of extra time but it saves heaps of water AND they are super colour and light fast. So it's worth the effort.