Thursday, December 15, 2016

Dye Books

I know that not all rug hookers dye their own wool, but I have always loved dipping into the dye pots.  Because I was dyeing so much, my wool business became a necessity!

I learned to dye wool while taking class with Dick LaBarge, a very well known rug hooker and teacher. Dick is retired now from teaching, but I'm told he still hooks with some of his former students.

Anyway, Dick was a master at dyeing. I always felt like I was entering a secret laboratory when he got the dye pots out. We had lots of fun experimenting with colors and techniques.

From that experience, I developed three dye booklets of my own. These booklets used different methods -- spot dyeing, transitional dyeing, graduated dyeing, abrashing, and overdye. My first dye book -- The Dye is Cast -- is only available as a .pdf, but my later dye books -- The Dye is Cast Again and Three Times a Charm are still available in printed format.


The next photo shows most of my dye formula booklets that I reference when dyeing. My favorites are the three Prisms booklets. I also use Vermont Folk Rugs book of formulas on a regular basis. The Prisms books use only ProChem dyes, while the Vermont Folk Rugs book uses Cushing dyes.



I also have compiled in a notebook all my favorite formulas. I have my own formulas, and other favorites from the books seen in the photo. In addition, I have a lined notebook where I write down formulas I want to try, mostly ones I have developed on my own. I try to keep up with organizing these formulas, but sometimes I get behind and then have to search out that scrap of paper where I wrote down a new formula. That is not fun!

What dye books do you use?


3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am not familiar with the Prisms books and I can't seem to find them on the Internet. Who is the author?
I mostly use my own formulas. Periodically I dye a bunch of combinations and tape them in my dye book. I dye cotton as well, but nothing dyes as richly as wool! My rug hooking teacher was/is a wonderful dyer, but she originally used Cushing and I like Pro Chem. She did convert to their use, but she does the rug hooking "thing", having a ton of dyes and using 1/124 of this and that! I make stock solutions and use primaries and black. Doing all that teeny tiny measuring seems like such a waste of time to me! What do you use?
I usually can't get Blogger sites to use my Wordpress account. I am Deb at https://adailydoseoffiber.wordpress.com

Lori from Notforgotten Farm said...

Oh I see a few there in your collection that I have as well, but, I tend to go with my muse and throw stuff into the pot and wait to be surprised!
L

Woolly Mammoth Woolens said...

The authors of the Prisms books are Claire deRoos and Nancy MacLennan. I bought them years ago, and Ebay may be the only place you'll find them. I mostly use ProChem dyes and the colors are so rich. I do have lots of Cushing dyes, but I use them sparingly as they are pricey compared to ProChem. I use the spoons with the tiny measurements! Sometimes the formula calls for just a speck!
I have done some cotton dyeing, and I've also dyed both cotton and wool thread for embroidery.
I have your blog listed on my blog roll!