Repeating dye batches to match How?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Nutty4Knitting on February 20, 2012 at 9:57am

The best way to avoid the striation is to card or comb the batches together after you have dyed the fiber.  Dyeing that much all in one batch is a bit difficult and still would not result in a solid color throughout the fiber.

1) Divide fiber into managable batches for the dyeing.

2) After dyeing, card or comb each batch by itself.

3) Divide each batch into 8 or more sections.

4) Mix the sections up between the batches.  One way to do this is to lay each batch out in a row, and the next batch above it, making a grid of all the fiber.  Take the first column and move each piece up one row.  Take column two and move each piece up two rows, and so on.  Then card each row together. 

5)  Repeat the splitting, mixing and carding operation until the color is more homogeneous.

But I have to say I agree with Peggy, I really like the striated look!

Permalink Reply by Elaine Wenger on February 20, 2012 at 11:55am

Wow! that's a lot of carding. Sounds like a drum carder could help a lot. Thanks Nutty for your help once again.

Permalink Reply by Nutty4Knitting on February 20, 2012 at 12:31pm

You're Welcome!

Yes, it is a lot of work and definitely best done on a drum carder.  When we really want something, though, it seems there is always work involved!

Permalink Reply by wendy on February 20, 2012 at 5:57pm

Nutty, would Peter Teal's technique of measuring out specific amounts of fiber and combing them , then planking and combing etc, also work?  I know his methods are very specific and he measures everything, but I wondered if this would give a more consistent result. 

Permalink Reply by Nutty4Knitting on February 20, 2012 at 6:05pm

As long as you keep the batches of combed fiber separate, break them up into smaller amounts and mix up those smaller amounts each time you load the comb/hackle, then yes, it will work.  As Elaine noticed, this kind of opperation works best with the tools that let you get the most done in a smaller amount of time, so this would be best with a larger hackle if combing, or a drum carder if carding.  It's not that you can't do with the hand combs or carders, it will just take a lot longer that way!  The more times you mix and recomb/card, the more uniform the color will be throughout the fiber.

Permalink Reply by Peggy Stuart on February 22, 2012 at 7:32am

I like the striated look, too, or at the least, slight variations. Otherwise, I think you could just buy the yarn, unless you were trying to match a color. Carding would give you a more even look, but dyeing the hanks might work, too.

Permalink Reply by Susan the Blue Lake Knitter on February 20, 2012 at 6:17pm

No one has mentioned this as yet, but could you not just spin up the yarn, and then dye the hanks using the same recipe for each batch.  There might be slight color variances (i.e. lighter and darker) but it should not be too pronounced.