I've been pondering how best to dilute the 2% dye stock for the beige formula. I am using 200ml total liquid for 5g of silk fabric. I am reserving 75ml for the soda ash solution. 125ml remain for the padding phase of the dye process. We are using a 0.5% DOS for the beige sample. This fits neatly with the 125ml required for the padding phase:
To dilute a 2% stock solution to 100:1 measure out 10ml dye stock and add 990ml water for 1000ml total.
This is much more than I need so divide by 4 to get 2.5ml dye stock to 247.5ml water for 250ml total. (Still more than I need, but better?)
Determine the percentages of the 4 colors for the 0.5% DOS formula for the beige color sample.
For 125ml dye solution:
37.5ml Yellow - 30% Yellow
37.5ml Gold-30% Gold
31.25ml Scarlet-25% Scarlet
18.75ml Navy-15% Navy
My goal is to use the dye stock most efficiently with the best chance for accuracy when measuring. (If I divided by 8 instead of 4, I would have less waste, but less accuracy - at least that is my thinking.)
Comments
Making a small amount of 100:1 dilution
The amount of diluted stock you make can be limited by the volumetric flasks that you have. And you are right, measuring less than 10mL is less accurate.
So I would measure 10mL into the 100mL volumetric flask and fill to 100mL mark. This is a 10:1 dilution. Now take 10mL of this solution and dilute again to the 100mL mark. Now you have only 100mL of 0.02% stock. Be sure and label both solutions, they are hard to tell apart.
Be sure to allow the dye in the jar to heat up to 60°C before adding your silk.
Dilutions
Thank you, Karen. That is what I will do.