How to Set the Color in Cotton Yarn
Cotton yarn is used in all types of needlework projects from knitting and crocheting to weaving and stitching. Cotton is all natural and it takes color well. It is also a renewable resource, which makes it attractive from an eco-friendly standpoint. Many people like to dye their own yarns to create just the color they want. To do this they use a fiber reactive dye and set the color with soda ash.
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Things You'll Need
- 100 percent mercerized cotton yarn, white
- Two wood chairs
- Acrylic strings
- Small tub
- Laundry detergent
- Goggles, gloves and mask rated to small particulates
- 1 gallon jug with screw lid
- 1 cup soda ash
- Funnel
- Plastic knife
- Plastic sheeting
- 2-foot by 3-foot cardboard
- Fiber reactive dyes
- Small jars
- Applicator bottles
- 1-inch flat paint brush
- Plastic bag and tie
- Synthrapol
Instructions
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Place two wood chairs facing away from each other, 2 feet apart. Wind the yarn around the chairs to create a large loop called a hank.
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Attach loose acrylic strings every 4 to 6 inches. (Acrylic will not dye since it is not a natural fiber.)
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Fill a small tub with hot water and laundry detergent. Immerse your yarn into the water and swish the yarn around for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the yarn and rinse with cold water. Empty your tub. Set your yarn aside.
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Wearing gloves, goggles and a face mask rated for small particulates, measure 1 cup of soda ash. Pour the soda ash into a 1 gallon jug. Fill the jug with hot water. Screw on the lid and shake the container to mix and dissolve the soda ash.
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Pour the soda ash solution into the small tub. Immerse your yarn for 20 minutes. Stir with a plastic knife. Remove the yarn and, wearing your protective clothing, squeeze the fixative agent (soda ash) out of the yarn. Lay the hank flat on a 2-foot by 3-foot piece of scrap cardboard on top of a plastic covered table. The cardboard will absorb the dye and make moving the dyed hank easier.
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Mix your fiber reactive dyes as recommended by the manufacturer. Most of these dyes come in a fine powder form that you should avoid inhaling. Usually the powder is mixed with a small amount of water to form a paste and then the paste is dissolved by adding small amounts of water and stirring. The dye is then poured into a small applicator bottle or painted onto the yarn. Keep your dye container tightly sealed except when measuring.
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Dye your yarn by painting with a 1-inch paint brush or by squirting dye onto the yarn. You can place different colors next to each other. Once you like the colors you have dyed, slide the undisturbed hank, still on the cardboard, into a large plastic bag. Twist tie the end of the bag. Allow the yarn to sit in a warm location at least 12 hours. For vivid colors allow the yarn to sit for two days.
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Remove your yarn from the bag and rinse in cold water until the water runs clear. This will take some time. Be thorough; you need to remove all of the remaining soda ash.
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Wash your hank in hot water and Synthrapol. This is a dye magnet detergent and it will only work if all of the soda ash has been removed. Follow the manufacturer's directions on using the Synthrapol. Squeeze out all remaining liquid and hang your hank to dry out of direct sunlight.
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Tips & Warnings
Wear old clothing and don't allow pets and children in your work area.
Fiber reactive dyes (powders) and soda ash should never be inhaled. Soda ash is also caustic and can burn. Always wear protective clothing and keep your soda ash and dye powder containers tightly closed. Wipe off any powder left on the outside of the containers with a wet rag (that you throw away so that there isn't any powder to become airborne.)
