Yes, that can be a difficult issue to resolve because there are so many moving parts to dye yarn that when one "thing" is off, the results are not optimal.
Dyeing is literal science and math. If one does not embrace this concept and use sound fundamentals and processes, things just won't work out.
Don't get me wrong; many dyers throw dye at fiber and yarn, and they get a very happy accident. However, can one make that happy accident happen again? Did anyone know how they got to the end result without measuring and keeping track?
Let's say your dream is to become an indie yarn dyer and sell your yarns to lovers of hand-dyed yarn. If you were a customer and you received yarn that bled when washed, how would you feel? I have, and I was not happy because I felt the dyer did not know enough to move into the realm of selling.
We are talking about protein fibers here, not cotton or polyester.
1. Too much dye was used per yarn weight. Yarn has receptors where the dye molecules link under the correct circumstances, i.e., pH and heat. If there are too many dye molecules per yarn receptor, there is nowhere for those molecules to go. They sort of sit on top of the yarn as it dries, and when washed, they come off, hence the bleeding.
2. Not enough acid was used per fiber weight. The pH of the dye solution needs to be at a certain pH level for the dye to adhere to the fiber.
3. The heat was not set correctly for the dye type. There are different dye types, such as leveling acid dyes and pre-metalized acid dyes, that require a certain water temperature to correctly adhere to the fiber.
4. The "cooking" time was not correct per the dye type. Each dye type needs a specific cooking time, per the manufacturer. If this is not correct, there is not enough time under the correct conditions for the dye to adhere to the fiber.
5. Freshly dyed fiber was not given time to "cure". If one takes hot yarn or fiber directly out of the dye pot and rinses it, there is a chance that dye molecules that were not finished adhering may wash away.
With all this said, anyone who is selling bleeding fiber or yarn knows it's bleeding. It was bleeding in their final rinse, and it is bleeding for you too.
If you are going to sell fiber or yarn and it's bleeding, you owe your customer the responsibility of letting them know. If it's okay with them, they will purchase it.
If you want to get into the nitty-gritty of the science and math (it's easy, I promise) of dyeing fiber and yarn, take my online course.
I've been dying for over 12 years and wanted to share my knowledge and expertise with the fiber world.
Sign up for a class today at the Camaj School of Fiber Arts and become the dyer of your dreams.
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