A while back I was gifted with a wonderful assortment of fiber to play with. I fell in love with the combed silk top/rayon blend roving. After admiring the luster of this beautiful fiber I decided that I would use the natural tint it has rather than trying to overcome the yellow tone while dyeing the fiber. My dilemma is that Silk dyes best with an acid dye and rayon dyes better with a fiber reactive dye. I know that I would be over dyeing the fiber to achieve the rich color I desired. I decided to start with a simple kettle dye using Brilliant Kelly Green from Jacquard Acid Dyes on the combed fiber.

First I wanted to be sure that there was nothing that could interfere with the dye. The fibers got its first bath in a bucket of water and a cap full of Synthrapol. I let it soak in the bucket for 4 hours before draining and genteelly wringing out the roving. Then I soaked the fiber in a vinegar water solution overnight to prep it for the dye bath. In the morning I gathered my safety gear and mixed my dye at one and a half strength so I would be certain to get an intense result. Next I wrung the fiber out until it was just damp and set it beside my dye pot. I heated the water for the dye bath while I added my dye and a half a cup of vinegar and a tablespoon of citric acid. Once I was sure that all the dye bath components were fully incorporated I turned off the heat and added the fiber, using a steamer insert to keep the fiber fully submerged. I stirred the fiber in the dye every 10 minutes to guarantee even exposure to the dye.

After soaking in the dye bath for an hour, the silk had soaked up the color like a champ. The rayon did not take nearly as much color. I used my microwave to set the dye as it was. After a cool down I rinsed the fiber by soaking it in a colander in a basin of cold water and a few drops of Synthrapol. I had to repeat the rinse twice more before the water stayed clear. I then spread the fiber out on a clean window screen on a sawhorse and covered it with another window screen to keep the breeze from giving it to the local birds for their nests. I let it dry fully before bringing it in and coiled it into an “easy pull" braid for storage while I waited for my fiber reactive dye to arrive.

Two days later I was properly equipped to continue my plan. First I started my fiber to soaking in a solution of sodium carbonate, mixed one cup per gallon of water. (This stuff is also known as soda ash, and is similar to, but three times as strong as, washing soda. The kind sold for swimming pools. Do not use sodium bicarbonate, or baking soda!) While allowing my fiber to pre-soak for 45 minutes, I put on my gloves, mask and safety glasses and started mixing my dye into a double strength New Emerald Green. Be careful when you measure out the dye...leave the jars open as short a time as possible, and use a face mask. Don't breathe dye! The stuff isn't very toxic, but you can become sensitized to it, which would put an end forever to your dyeing.

I poured my dye into squeeze bottles for easy application. Since it was another hot and humid day I did not worry about how to keep the fiber warm enough, but just set up my workstation outside in the sun. I re-checked all my gear (gloves, glasses, mask) and once again wrung my fiber out so that it was just damp. Then I spread a layer of plastic drop cloth and then my fiber out on my makeshift window screen worktable. Next, I coated the yarn with my dye solution, making certain to fully saturate all the fiber. Since it is a silk blend I decided to let it set for only 10 hours.

After allowing the dye to process for 10 hours I transferred the fiber into a bucket of cool water with Synthrapol detergent in the wash water. I went through an additional 4 cool rinses before the water ran clean indicating that I had removed all unreacted dye from the fiber. I then washed the fiber once more using the hottest water I could manage. I then spread the fiber out on a clean window screen on a sawhorse and covered it with another window screen. I let it dry fully before bringing it in and treating it to a restorative bath to reclaim any luster the dyeing process might have striped from the silk.

I placed the fiber into a bath of cool water and vinegar where it was allowed to soak for 10 minutes before going through a series of cold water rinses to remove all the vinegar. I wrung as much water out as I could with my hands and then spread a thick beach towel out on the floor, spreading the fiber out on the towel, and finally topping with a second towel. Then I rolled the towel wrapped fiber into a squishable bundle and stood on it in various spots to remove excess water. Then I carefully unrolled the bundle and placed the fiber between my screens to dry fully.

I spun the fiber using a bottom whorl drop spindle and then plied the singles to make the yarn below. The last thing I did was wind the yarn into a hank on an umbrella swift.

About Fiber Reactive Dyes

The best dyes, by far, to use for cotton and other cellulose fibers are the fiber reactive dyes. They are much brighter, longer-lasting, and easier-to-use than all-purpose dyes. (There are also fiber reactive dyes that react specifically with wool; some are found within the Lanaset grouping of dyes for protein fibers. However, this page specifically deals with fiber reactive dyes that are suitable for cellulose fibers—including ways to use these dyes with protein fibers.)

What is Fiber Reactive Dye?

Fiber reactive dye is the most permanent of all dye types. Unlike other dyes, it actually forms a covalent bond with the cellulose or protein molecule. Once the bond is formed, what you have is one molecule, as the dye molecule has become an actual part of the cellulose fiber molecule. No wonder you can safely wash a garment that has been dyed in bright fiber reactive colors with white clothing, a hundred times, without endangering the whites in the least - even if it is all different bright colors, or even solid black!

How to Use Fiber Reactive Dye

Cool water fiber reactive dyes can be used with the recipe given on the How to Dye page. It can also be used according to the recipe on the Low Water Immersion page, or even in a washing machine.
They work especially well on cotton, rayon, and silk, and also work well on linen, lyocell (Tencel), hemp, and any other cellulose fiber.
Alternatively, fiber reactive dyes can also be used as acid dyes on protein fibers, including wool (which cannot tolerate the high pH of the cotton recipe) and silk (which can be dyed either way).

Types of Fiber Reactive Dye

Procion MX. Many people feel quite strongly that the best dye choice for the beginner, as well as for many experienced dyers, is Procion MX, because this dye is very easy to work with. You never need to steam or otherwise heat-set the fabric, when you are using Procion MX type fiber reactive dyes, and the dyes are relatively non-toxic. Other advantages include the remarkable washfastness found in all fiber-reactive dyes; I wash my bright rainbow-dyed clothing in the same load as my whites, with no running of the colors, once they've been through enough initial washing out. - See more at: http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/fiberreactive.shtml#sthash.i4VY6hVy.dpuf

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Books on dyeing with fiber reactive dyes

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Types of Fiber Reactive Dye

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