Susan linked to clever site that showed how to dye roving with tissue paper. I found the Google translation to be a little less than helpful so I had my darling friend who is studying French (and hopefully heading over to France if she gets accepted) to help make things clearer. Here's what the site says according to her:
1)Run very hot water with 1 tsp dishsoap and 1/2 cup vinager into a bucket or basin.
2) Place your roving in the bucket. Be sure your roving is attached in at least four places. Let it stand alone without agitating. If you are in a rush, push lightly without agitating to get rid of the air trapped beneath it.
3)Put on your gloves. The dye is powerful! Cut strips of crepe/tissue paper as you like. Use your imagination.
4) Place plastic wrap on the table beneath. Press it delicately to squeeze out the water but not too much. The threads have to be moist enough to soak up the dye. Roll up the tissue paper several times and place it how you want (like in the photo) leaving spaces or not as you choose. The more doubled-up paper layers you use, etc, the darker the colors will be.
5) Mix 3 glasses hot water and 1 glass white vinager in a bucket/basin.
6) With your gloves on, add the hot vinager-water to soak the tissue paper.
7) Roll out some plastic wrap over the complete width and length of the yarn/thread. Press on the tissue paper so that the color soaks well into the fibers.
8) Fold up the edges of the plastic wrap to seal it except on one of the ends.
9) Roll up the "sandwich" gently while taking care to make sure to let the air escape on the side that's not sealed. Then seal up that end as well.
10)Place it in a ziploc bag but leave air in the bag. Seal the bag (with air) and leave it alone for at least an hour.
11) Heat some water in a pan but not over 88 degrees Celsius (190 degrees Fahrenheit). Put the bag in then let it "cook" for 1 hour. Turn the sack over every 5 minutes or so to let the colors soak in more evenly.
12) Remove the roving and allow it to cool, then fill a container with hot tap water and a little vinegar. Remove the plastic wrap and tissue paper and put the roving in the container.
13) Change the "bath" with water at the same temperature as the wool as many times as necessary. At the end, the water should be clear.
Careful: for wool, there should not be an abrupt change of temperature, nor movement or friction, and don't pour water directly on the wool, otherwise it will become felt.
14) Let it dry...and admire!
15) Separate the roving for spinning.
16) Slip it onto a wheel or spindle. To keep all the natural brilliance of the colors, the navajo technique is recommended.
She had fun commentary along with it (she knows spinning like I know geology) but for the sake of keeping this clear, I did a little editting. :)
Happy Monday and yes, I'm still knitting!!!
This is really cool! And something I would never have thought of in a million years!
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