This week: How do you know when to scour and when dyeing fleece, how can you get a deep green?
Every week, we are emailed with questions from our natural dye community asking simple and complex questions that we thought might be worth sharing. Of course, all of your burning questions are answered by natural dyer in chief, Kathy Hattori, Founder of Botanical Colors.
How do I know if my fibers need scouring?
An easy way to tell if your fibers need scouring is to observe the scour water as you bring up the heat. If the water looks like weak tea (or strong tea, for that matter), then scouring is required. The scouring methods for protein and cellulose fibers are different.
We have lots of information on scouring on different fibers here.
I’m getting ready to do a new round of dyeing fleece. Which of your dyes should I use to get the best deep green?
A good way to get a deep green on wool fleece is to first dye the fibers with indigo, then dye with a yellow like weld. A bright yellow will yield an emerald green and a pomegranate yellow will yield a forest green.