im toying with the idea of dyeing my own wool,and as i ahve read above kool aid is the best thing to start with for a beginner,the problem is iv never seen it in a shop in Ireland which might be a problem.
thanks for the help
It’s not really the best or only thing for a beginner – just one of several possibilities. If you can’t find a powdered drink mix similar to Kool-Aid, try the food coloring gels used for cake frosting – Wilton’s is the main brand in the U.S. The colors are very rich and the amounts are easy to control. Liquid food coloring also works.
i also agree that kool-aid isn’t THE first thing you have to start with… I much preferred liquid food coloring or colored gels
you can mix many colors with them and i think they give a better result
You can probably try food colouring instead, but I’ve bought Jacquard Acid dyes in a craft shop, still haven’t gotten around to trying them yet though. I got some koolaid by trading with someone on Ravelry in the UK too, you can’t buy it there either, but it was from someone who does a lot of dyeing so she had a stash.
do these alternative food dyes and dye gels last as long as kool aid does and do you have to add and acid like vinegar or anything else.
thank you very much for the help.
thinking about and would love to make my very own wool from from washing the fleece to spining and dyeing the wool, seems a lot of work but very interesting!!
is the whole process of making the wool more cost effective then buying it???
my boyfriend thinks im nuts!
i think that the food dyes last longer than kool aid and yes you do have to add acid …thats what helps the dye stay on the wool.
the only downside to using those dyes is that they can fade in sunlight and over time… if you are wanting the color to last i would invest in a higher quality dye like jacquard acid dyes (or other brands).
using the food dyes though is a good starting point if you aren’t sure you are going to like it or want to experiment alot.
the process of making yarn from fleece to finished yarn can be cost effective or more expensive…you have to factor in the cost of the fleece, the water/soap you use to clean it, the dyes and possibly your spinning equipment
i’ve found that the cost takes a backseat to being able to make things with your own handspun (or hand dyed) yarn…it’s wonderful …def not nuts! :teehee:
oh and would you need a sat of two carders to work off each other or just one(ebay people only seem to sell them as one).
and what would be the best one to buy,flick carder etc?
you can either get a flick carder or a set of curved or flat backed carders. If you buy roving you don’t need carders cos it’s already carded. If you are on ravelry there is a group for Irish Spinners, you might be able to find someone to teach you. Wheels are very expensive, but spindles are cheap to learn on until you know if you like it or not.
I’ve used these two UK sellers on ebay in the past and both sell carders besides flick carders
Forest Fibres
Sara’s Texture Crafts