Dying wool (still on the sheepskin) ?

Hi, Andy,

The protein in the wool and skin will dye with acid dyes or, in a pinch, food colouring. The cotton needs different dyes that are bad for the protein. For that reason, you may be better either leaving the cotton white (it will probably stain a little with the acid dyes) or cutting it off, dyeing the fleece, and replacing the cotton with a better colour.

Where are you? I can let you know suppliers of dyes in the US and the UK.

Thanks - what I'm really concerned about isn't the cotton so much as the sheepskin. I don't want to dye it, then find I have a problem with baldness!

Bristol, UK.

Try Kemtex,

Their Kemtex Acid Dyes will do the trick. Note that they will also stain skin very well, so wear rubber gloves or be prepared to do plenty of explaining.

Basically, you need the dye, a dyebath and an acid such as acetic acid (vinegar) or citric acid. Citric is good if you can get hold of it, but a lot of pharmacists have stopped selling it because drug users were using it to cut heroin. Apparently it gives a more intense rush. They're so inventive, aren't they? You may be able to buy citric acid at Pakistani grocers but if you can't you'll have to use vinegar. It works fine but it makes the house smell of wet sheep in a pickle factory.

The method depends on how even you want the colour. For even colour, there are instructions at

- the washing machine instructions are written for US washers, which don't usually have a heater. Set UK ones to a 60 degree hot wash. The potential problem with using a washing machine is that the wool might felt, but I've washed fleeces and not had any problems. If you want really patchy colour, maybe with stripes or splotches, there are two other methods. The first uses a dyebath like the first on Dharma's page, but with only just enough liquid to cover the fabric. Bring it up to the boil and pour the dyes on the places where you want each colour. Don't use too much dye - it will strike quickly, because of the heat, and it shouldn't blend in the dyebath too much. The second method involves mixing a cold solution of acid, water and dye, and pouring it over the fabric. Give it a few minutes to penetrate and then heat it. I use a big mixing bowl, covered with clingfilm, pierced to let the steam out, and I heat it in the microwave until it's boiling.

Whichever method you use, allow the whole thing to cool. Rinse it several times. To keep the skin of the fleece supple, you can add a little glycerin (from the chemist's) to the final rinse.

Dyeing is fun. Acid dyes and the Procion MX ones that I use for cotton are safe, easy, and tolerant of a pretty wide range of conditions. I hope you enjoy them.

Sally