Dying wool (still on the sheepskin) ?

I've just bought (Ikea) a sheepskin cushion cover. White sheepskin one
side, unbleached cotton the other. Not bad quality and very cheap (£10),
although the zip is on the flimsy side.

I was wondering about the likelihood of dying this. Any advice on dying
wool like this, still on the skin? Thanks

"Andy Dingley" wrote in message
...
I've just bought (Ikea) a sheepskin cushion cover. White sheepskin one
side, unbleached cotton the other. Not bad quality and very cheap (£10),
although the zip is on the flimsy side.

I was wondering about the likelihood of dying this. Any advice on dying
wool like this, still on the skin? Thanks

Hi, Andy,

The protein in the wool and skin will dye with acid dyes or, in a pinch,
food colouring. The cotton needs different dyes that are bad for the
protein. For that reason, you may be better either leaving the cotton white
(it will probably stain a little with the acid dyes) or cutting it off,
dyeing the fleece, and replacing the cotton with a better colour.

Where are you? I can let you know suppliers of dyes in the US and the UK.

--
Sally Holmes
Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England

On Sat, 24 Sep 2005 13:20:09 GMT, "Sally Holmes"
wrote:

The protein in the wool and skin will dye with acid dyes or, in a pinch,
food colouring.

Thanks - what I'm really concerned about isn't the cotton so much as the
sheepskin. I don't want to dye it, then find I have a problem with
baldness!

Where are you? I can let you know suppliers of dyes in the US and the UK.

Bristol, UK.

Andy Dingley wrote:
On Sat, 24 Sep 2005 13:20:09 GMT, "Sally Holmes"
wrote:

The protein in the wool and skin will dye with acid dyes or, in a
pinch, food colouring.

Thanks - what I'm really concerned about isn't the cotton so much as
the sheepskin. I don't want to dye it, then find I have a problem with
baldness!

Where are you? I can let you know suppliers of dyes in the US and
the UK.

Bristol, UK.

Try Kemtex, www.kemtex.co.uk. Their Kemtex Acid Dyes will do the trick. Note
that they will also stain skin very well, so wear rubber gloves or be
prepared to do plenty of explaining.

Basically, you need the dye, a dyebath and an acid such as acetic acid
(vinegar) or citric acid. Citric is good if you can get hold of it, but a
lot of pharmacists have stopped selling it because drug users were using it
to cut heroin. Apparently it gives a more intense rush. They're so
inventive, aren't they? You may be able to buy citric acid at Pakistani
grocers but if you can't you'll have to use vinegar. It works fine but it
makes the house smell of wet sheep in a pickle factory.

The method depends on how even you want the colour. For even colour, there
are instructions at http://www.dharmatrading.com/html/eng/208783-AA.shtml -
the washing machine instructions are written for US washers, which don't
usually have a heater. Set UK ones to a 60 degree hot wash. The potential
problem with using a washing machine is that the wool might felt, but I've
washed fleeces and not had any problems.

If you want really patchy colour, maybe with stripes or splotches, there are
two other methods. The first uses a dyebath like the first on Dharma's page,
but with only just enough liquid to cover the fabric. Bring it up to the
boil and pour the dyes on the places where you want each colour. Don't use
too much dye - it will strike quickly, because of the heat, and it shouldn't
blend in the dyebath too much. The second method involves mixing a cold
solution of acid, water and dye, and pouring it over the fabric. Give it a
few minutes to penetrate and then heat it. I use a big mixing bowl, covered
with clingfilm, pierced to let the steam out, and I heat it in the microwave
until it's boiling.

Whichever method you use, allow the whole thing to cool. Rinse it several
times. To keep the skin of the fleece supple, you can add a little glycerin
(from the chemist's) to the final rinse.

Dyeing is fun. Acid dyes and the Procion MX ones that I use for cotton are
safe, easy, and tolerant of a pretty wide range of conditions. I hope you
enjoy them.

Sally