Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
carder involves picking the fleece to open and fluff it up a bit, then cranking the handle of the
carder and letting the machine work its magic. It may take a couple of times through the carder,
but it is much less work-intensive than hand carding. Of course, you will pay for that in the initial
investment. But it may be worth it for you to save the time and energy.
Carded or combed wool can be referred to as rolags, batt, roving, and top, depending on the tech-
nique used and the end result.
Dyeing Your Fiber
Unspun fiber is a treat to dye and offers quite a bit of creativity. As with washing, you will need to
take great care to prevent felting if you plan to spin it later. Agitation is your enemy, as is a sudden
change in temperature. Even spun yarn can and will felt up on you, so don't think that will save
you in the dyeing process. It can be just as fun and useful to dye spun yarn as unspun fiber, but as
long as you are using animal fibers, you have to be aware of the felting possibility.
Earlier, I mentioned the shade of white and colors of a coat. The brighter the shade of white, the
better it will hold color, especially bright color. Depigmentation lightens darker shades to make
dyeing easier. This usually involves harsh chemicals, so you might not want to delve into that in
your personal venture.
Still, you will want to consider the shade of your roving alongside the color(s) you are planning to
dye. A darker shade will dampen the color's tone. The texture and density of the roving will also
have an effect on the brightness and way the dye is taken.
Not only that, but the type of dye you use will also have different effects. A basic dye recipe
simply involves soaking your roving in a vat of sugarless Kool-Aid until the water is clear and the
roving is bright. However, you are unlikely to get a gentle sage-green from this method, with color
names like “Sharkleberry Fin” and “Kickin' Kiwi-Lime.” If colors are steam-set well, they will be
permanent.
Truly natural dyes—like the kind you find in your garden—will give you more muted results. Acid
dyes will afford the most control over the final color.
Color aside, many factors can affect dye choice, and you may use a different type at different times.
Dig in, experiment, and see what works for you.
Over the Garden Fence
Your garden is not only a source of food for your family. It can also be a source of dye for your roving!
Consider red cabbage, berries, dandelion flowers, marigolds, onion skins …. Anne Bliss, author of North
American Dye Plants, offers this advice: “Yellow-flowering plants most often produce yellow-cast dye, as do
most white bloomed species. However, some white-flowering plants yield tans. Plants with purple blos-
soms usually give tans, golds, and greens. Red berries generally produce yellow or golds.”
 
Search WWH ::




Custom Search