Acid Dye Tests
After reading about Solar Dyeing in the latest issue of Spin-Off magazine, I decided to try it. I’ve been spinning small skiens of embroidery yarn from merino (and 1 from tussah silk). The last 2 weeks I’ve gotten lovely colors. No solid black. But I’ve had undyed spots in my yarn. Also the last several warm days have been fairly cloudy.
Then last Sunday I asked around at our local SCA mtg for a crockpot that was unwanted. Acutally got one! 
This method of dyeing doesn’t rely on a sun that likes to hide, but still produces blotchy color. Hmm.
I have found a few things of note:
1 – Don’t tie the skiens, otherwise I get repeating white areas in my thread.
2 – Stir the mixture every once in a while.
3 – If bad coloring, re-dye with more color and stir more often.
4 – The Jacquard acid dye – Navy is tricky. It must have heat added to it with in a short while or you don’t get blue, you get purple.
5 – The Jacquard acid dye – brilliant yellow (I think that’s the name) seems to not even need heat. Just set it out on a hot day (even with clouds) and overnight the dye will exhaust.
