Dyeing Silk
More warm colors:
Dyeing silk is a two step process: de-gum, and then dye. I always assume silk comes to me with the sericin (gum) still in it. I remove it in an alkaline bath of water, detergent and soda ash, then I apply the dye.
Specifics? I use a table top roaster with inside dimensions of about 12" by 18" x 6" deep (or so, I'm guessing here). I fill it about 2" deep, squirt in some dish detergent and add 2T soda ash. Then I layer in the silk, about 2 to 3 ounces worth, turn it on to 215ºF and leave it for 2 to 3 hours. After de-gumming, I lift out the silk, drain it, and rinse out the pan.
I refill, with 2" water, add a cup of vinegar or 2T citric acid crystals, the dye stock, and then re-enter the silk. I leave it, at 215ºF, for another 2 to 3 hours. I let the silk cool in the dyebath, and the next day I rinse and dry it. I use up existing dyestock solutions, either Lanaset or Cibacron fiber reactive. In fact, the only dye I won't use on silk is *weak acid* or level acid dyes, sometimes called Kiton type.
And because it's all about the photos:
Treenway's 8/2 reeled silk sett at 24 epi. Dyed as yarn, not fiber, some painted and some immersion, as described above.
Dyeing silk is a two step process: de-gum, and then dye. I always assume silk comes to me with the sericin (gum) still in it. I remove it in an alkaline bath of water, detergent and soda ash, then I apply the dye.
Specifics? I use a table top roaster with inside dimensions of about 12" by 18" x 6" deep (or so, I'm guessing here). I fill it about 2" deep, squirt in some dish detergent and add 2T soda ash. Then I layer in the silk, about 2 to 3 ounces worth, turn it on to 215ºF and leave it for 2 to 3 hours. After de-gumming, I lift out the silk, drain it, and rinse out the pan.
I refill, with 2" water, add a cup of vinegar or 2T citric acid crystals, the dye stock, and then re-enter the silk. I leave it, at 215ºF, for another 2 to 3 hours. I let the silk cool in the dyebath, and the next day I rinse and dry it. I use up existing dyestock solutions, either Lanaset or Cibacron fiber reactive. In fact, the only dye I won't use on silk is *weak acid* or level acid dyes, sometimes called Kiton type.
And because it's all about the photos:
Treenway's 8/2 reeled silk sett at 24 epi. Dyed as yarn, not fiber, some painted and some immersion, as described above.
posted by Sara at 11:44 AM
6 Comments:
Oh, my. Silk Porn. *swoon* Thank you, hless!
Do you rinse the silk after degumming/before dyeing? I was thinking the residual soda ash might neutralize some of the acid in the next step...? I tried degumming once, but I found the smell overpowering (and intolerable).
June
http://www.twosheep.com/blog
Marcy has such a way with words...
I'm psyched for silk! I've got a whole bobbin of spun silk and a bunch of top all in boring white that is JUST BEGGING to be colorful.
Wow, that's incredible!
What incredible work. Those colors are jusr gorgeous!
If you are using Cibacron, you might try adding salt - say 40g/l, leave 20 mins then add some bicarbonate or soda instead of acid. might improve the colour yield!
Richard - www.richardnoyes.com
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