Dyeing Roving

Dyeing roving or yarn can leave you with spectacular effects that are not available in any store. And, it is not expensive to do.

Begin dyeing roving by placing it in a large pan or pot filled with cold or room temperature water. Gently push the roving under the water and leave it to soak unitl it absorbs as much water as possible.

Do not agiatate the roving or it may end up felted.

While it is soaking cover a workspace with newspaper. Then cover the newspaper with plastic. Overlap the edges.

Prepare your dye mixture according to manufacture instructions. Mix the dye into some water. Error on the side of caution. You can always add more dye powder. It is harder to add more water in an attempt to dilute a strong color.

Mix as many different colors as you want. Keep in mind that less is more. More than 4 or 5 colors can be overwhelming especially if the colors are from a different family.

When your roving is saturated with plain water remove it and hold it over a sink to drain off the excessive water. Spread out your roving on the top of the plastic wrap. Expose as much surface area as possible.

When dyeing roving start with the lightest color and progress to the darkest. Using a small plastic bottle with a nozzle squirt the dye solution on the roving. Don't worry if some spots of dye look smaller than others. These areas will be stretched out as you draft and spin your fiber.

When you are happy with the dye application squirt vinegar over the entire piece of roving. The vinegar helps the dye grab the fiber and hold. Don't worry about getting too much vinegar on the roving.

Cover your dyed roving with another layer of plastic wrp. Roll it up like a sausage. Prevent seperate areas of color from touching each other as much as possible.

Wrap the whole rolled piece into another layer of plastic. For extra insurance against leakage you can place the whole roll into a zippered storage bag.

Place your roving piece in a colander. Place the colander in the botom of a large metal pot. Place the pot in the dishwasher. You may need to put it on a cookie sheet to keep it from falling over.

Run the dishwasher on the longest and hottest cycle available. The steam and heat created in the pot will encourage the fiber to take up the dye. The colors should merge together and go from spotted to blended. Run the dishwasher again if you need to until the colors are blended.

When the pot has cooled down you may remove it from the dishwasher. Some dye will run off and gather in the packet and pot. Drain this off.

FIll the pot with clean water the same temperature as the roving itself. Gently rinse the fiber being careful to not agitate it as felting may occur. Some dye should rinse off but most should hold tight to the fiber.

Hang the fiber or roving until it is completely dry. Hang it outside, over a sink or tub, or over newspaper. Carpet, counters, floors, or other surfaces can be stained if the dye drips.

When thoroughly dry it is ready to spin! Dyeing roving can create some very spectacular and unique yarn. Spun yarn can also be dyed in the same manner as roving.

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