a 'dyeing' query

On Wed, 3 May 2006 13:45:31 -0500, YarnWright spewed forth :

I've not been able to produce a true, deep black with the Createx dyes I use. Dharma has this to say about black dye:

Reply to the list as I do not publish an email address to USENET. This practice has cut my spam by more than 95%. Of course, I did have to abandon a perfectly good email account...

Hello Noreen

You should not have any problems at all, since both are protein fibers. I do think though that getting a true black dye is not all that easy. I would not use union dyes as e.g. Rit or Dylon etc. Those are combinations of dyes so you can dye any kind of fiber. However that makes the dye a weaker one. Use procion MS or Ciba Dyes, or the Gaywool dyes from Australia. or the French dyes, Lanaset There are several good mail order outfits that carry good dyes, that you can order from. Go by the instructions that come with the dye and make the dye extra strength, to get a good deep balck.

Pro Chemical is one of them,

and Dharma Trading is another one

Hope this is of help

Els

not sure what dye you'd use for this, and it would need soaking evenly, most home dyeing doesn't do evenly because the material gets creased or folded when in the dyepot. So I would suggest several goes at it,

BUT if your eyes aren't up to black, maybe using a magnifying glass that you have on a string around your neck, and it has a piece on it that rests on your chest, so everytime you look down, you would be looking through the mag glass.. These should be able to be purchased from those shops that sell things for cross stitch.. well that is what I would suggest making the work bigger to look at and thus not having to dye it... most dyes I do need boiling to get the dye into the wool..

Alas, Noreen, all I dye is my hair. Whoops, did I say that out loud???

Higs, Kather> For you more experienced dye-ers.... would an alpaca silk blend yarn > 'dye-up' EVENLY?

wha???????? you mean you're NOT a natural.... ummmm, lets see if i remember.... redhead? Noreen who's got 'frosted' hair, to cover the natural greyfrosting that's been steadily occurring.

Well, yes, I am a natural redhead. But the ravages of time, alas, have caused a gradual fading to more of a blonde, which I don't really like. So I

Higs, Kather> wha????????

No.....we didn't hear you Katherine...

higz Cher

Oh Katherine...I can't wait to go white.....lol I've never dyed my hair, and am now getting little bits of grey...well quite a few streaks, and it has gone alot lighter brown the rich dark brown it has always been...perhaps when it goes really white I'll dye it burgundy and that'll turn it a sort of shocking pink...and I'll wear bright purple clothes and all that...when I go white..

higz Cher

Those magnifying glasses on strings are not very handy. If you have a well endowed bosom like me, they stand out too far so it does not focus on your work. I think a man must of invented them. Also the string cuts in the back of your neck, and they are inclined to tip up. That type was my first magnifying glass and was discarded quickly. Using small beads I have tried quite a few. I ended up with the Mag Eyes which work very well because you can also look over the top to look in the distance or TV. They have about 4 sets of different strength lenses. For taking on holiday I have a pair that clips on my glasses and they flip up out of the way but are small so do not take up much room.

The Mag- Eyes are larger since they fasten on a head band and look a bit like something out of space. LOL I would say Mad-Eyes every time and several of my friends have got them and agree with me. Shirley

In message , spinninglilac writes

Sorry to follow my own post but I really do mean Mag-Eyes and not Mad-Eyes. LOL. I have only just got out of bed and have not put my specs on yet. Shirley

In message , Shirley Shone writes

I agree with you, Cher. I have a lot of silver streaks in my dark brown hair and I think they look lovely in the sun...

Alison

Whew, that's a relief!

Higs, Kather> No.....we didn't hear you Katherine...

Unfortunately, I won't be going white. I will just fade into a funny looking blonde. It is went white - as Keith's hair did - that would be great.

Higs, Kather> Oh Katherine...I can't wait to go white.....lol I've never dyed my

Shirley

I have both, the large glass that hangs around your neck, as well as the clip on glassed. I also have a big bosom, but I made a kumihimo braid I can adjust and so it does work for me,I use it when I do my crossword puzzles. The clip on/ flip up glasses I use when I am weaving, so I can thread the fine threads through my reed. I have a third one though. It is a magnifying lens set in with a circular neon light. It has a long pull out arm. That really works very well. I have it clamped to my work table. There are all kinds of different solutions. My biggest problem is the small writing on the computer. On the internet most of the time you can enlarge, but not always. Tiny print on different coloured backgrounds are murder. I give up on websites that are unreadable. It is not worth my time..... LOL I guess we are all heading for magnifying lenses and glasses.

Els

LOL I thought that you had been reading Harry Potter.

Higs, Kather> Sorry to follow my own post but I really do mean Mag-Eyes and not > Mad-Eyes. LOL.

Shirley, when you use them they do look like you have mad eyes...LOL so you were not to far off...LOL

Els

gawd the mind boggles as well as the eyes....I have the bossom mag glass, and it isn't easy you are correct to big and busty, and breathing makes it go up and down too...LOL. we have shops that sell mag glasses in various thicknesses so you get a card to read and try on the numbered glasses, half glasses actually, and when you find the pair you can read comfortably in without them pulling at your eyes that is the number you need...guess they are the same except that these are made with arms and in a frame and look like proper glasses.

higz Cher

LOL at Alison..

Oh ha! I like that.....I "enhance" my hair color :) Then I go swimming and chlorine enhances the enhancement...which is saying it makes the blonde go even more blonde.

BB

Kather> Well, yes, I am a natural redhead. But the ravages of time, alas, have