Natural Dyeing Supplies and Material ListHere are natural dyeing supplies and materials you will require: Dye pots - recommended to use enamel or stainless steel pots. Other materials like copper, tin or iron can have a mordanting effect - that is they can affect the colour of the dye. Of course, this may be a desired outcome so feel free to experiment. Spoons or stir sticks - stainless steel or wooden. Wood will take up dye colour so always reuse with only the same colours. Rubber gloves - use especially if working with any of the more toxic mordants (ie. tin, chrome). Alum is low toxicity but can still be harsh on the skin. They are also used to prevent dying your skin - it can take a few days to wear off. Dyes are low toxicity though - so maybe you want to wear your colours proudly. Medical type gloves are nice because they fit tighter making it easier to work but they don't provide any protection working with hot water. They also need to be replaced more often. Dishwashing gloves last longer, provide some temperature protection and are inexpensive. You can also get higher quality more temperature resistant materials. Gloves are widely available at many stores. Dust mask (included with orders) - use when mixing any of the powders especially mineral mordants. Dyes are low toxicity but it's always best not to breathe in small particles. Available in drugstores. Weigh scale - these come in a wide price range depending on how accurately you want to measure your fibers, yarn, dyes and mordants. Plastic pails - these come in handy for pre-soaking and rinsing fibers, yarn or fabric. Workspace - for small dyeing projects you can work in your kitchen but please protect your surfaces from the dye. The ideal is to have a separate workspace and large tub sink for rinsing. You can use a hot plate for heating the dye bath. I really like the new induction cook top hot plates that only heat up when the pot is placed on. They only work with stainless steel or iron cookware, not aluminum, copper, pyrex, glass or ceramic. Mordant - we supply herbal mordant and alum (aluminum potassium sulphate) in the dye kit and as separate order. If this becomes a regular hobby or small business it might be worthwhile to find a local chemical supplier for alum, tannic acid or some of the other mineral mordants like copper, tin, iron if you want to try these. Materials to dye  Custom Search This is a limited list. You may find much more searching the internet. Undyed yarn and fiber can often be obtained from your local yarn store. It may need to be special ordered but many yarn manufacturers do have their yarns available undyed. Internet Sources: www.catnipyarns.com – great prices and large selection www.knitpicks.com www.wool2dye4.com www.eBay.com www.etsy.com www.dharmatrading.com is a great source for undyed clothing and fabric. Business only: www.louet.com - Louet will sell wholesale to hand-dyers in business. Prices are just slightly higher than for retail stores. You will have to set up an account (info@louet.com) For seriously large quantities: www.ashlandbay.com www.alibaba.com – (there are other similar trade organizations. I've used this one with good results.) Return to Dye Instruction Page from Hand Dyeing Supply List
|