I have used energized yarns (single s or z twist) yarns in my wefts for collapse weave, but never in the warp.  Ann Field suggests dying after weaving for these yarns.  I wonder if anyone has successfully dyed these yarns before weaving as either painted warps, or dyed in skeins.  If so, any suggestions?  I tried a sample of yarn that I skeined a while back and it seemed to keep it's energy after drying, but was difficult to keep "in line" when rinsing and drying.

Thanks ahead of time for any ideas!

Comments

Mon, 10/27/2014 - 11:51

Andrew Kieran (not verified)

It's difficult I think.

The dyer here has tried hank-dyeing overtwisted and elasticated yarns and the issue is they shrink up on the hank. They take the dye fine, but the problem is getting them back onto a cone.

Maybe if you tried a little and got it nice and tight on the swift afterwards, spread it out nicely and tried winding it slowly at first. Tying more loose choke ties than normal may help to keep the hank in order. I have no information about how much twist the yarn holds but I see no reason why it would lose any twist, though the water and drying action may go some way to setting the yarn in place, reducing it's energy.

Would it be possible to dye the yarn before adding the extra twist?

Does anyone have any experience of dying yarn on the cone, ie. package dying? All I know of it is as a large industrial process, but I wonder if anyone has done it on a small scale?

Mon, 10/27/2014 - 13:33

SallyE (not verified)

I've never tried to dye active yarns, but here is what I'd try:  

I'd wind the yarn onto a swift, and tie the beginning and ending ends together.   While the yarn is still on the swift, I'd release the tension just a bit and take a long narrow piece of netting and slip one of the long edges up under the yarn all the way around the swift.   Then pick up the the other long edge to meet the tucked in edge and hand stitch the netting together to make a tube that contains the yarn totally.  That should keep the yarn together, prevent it from tangling, and allow the dye to flow through.  

When you are done and it's dry, put it back onto the swift before removing the netting.   Cut the knott in the yarn and wind it back onto a ball or cone.

 

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 23:41

Guiding Myth (not verified)

Have you considered painting the piece after weaving?  That is usually what I do with active yarns.  I plan it out before weaving.  You can use a non-active cellulose weft and active yarn wool with acid dye.  I thicken the dye with sodium alginate so the dye doesn't bleed into places I don't want it and stain. Then I steam set it rather than put it in water.

Otherwise, if I had to dye the yarn before weaving I would dye it while under tension.  Perhaps you can make something out of PVC pipe to hold the yarn under tension.  I would not wet an active yarn unless it was held tightly in place. Lets just say I've tried it and it wasn't pretty...

Then keep it under tension while you measure out the warp - and keep the warp under tension while you dress the loom.  If you are using a warping board don't chain the warp.  Instead while keeping it under tension at all times wind it snugly around a stick - like you would wind kite string.  

Good Luck

 

 

Wed, 10/29/2014 - 02:15

awoventhought (not verified)

-I have loads of energized yarns, so buying it dyed is Out. -I like the net idea, think I'll give it a go.. -I use a warping reel and could possibly try painting the warp on the reel, but I wondered if the dyed yarns would be a dust problem since they would not be rinsed before weaving. The yarn is cellulose.. -yes, I have dyed after weaving and like the results, but I'm thinking about a, more or less, deflected double weave and would like single colors I will certainly let everyone know how the experiment goes, but I won't be ready to try it for a couple of weeks so keep the ideas flowing!
Fri, 10/31/2014 - 20:07

lilyspin

Another option might be to dye it on a PVC niddy noddy. The yarn would have to be wound loosely enough for the dye to penetrate.
Wed, 11/12/2014 - 07:02

Karren K. Brito

I spin my own wool yarn for backstrap weaving and I wind two singles in a skein then dye the skein.  After it is dyed I ply it with a lot of twist.   I skein the 2-ply, wash it  to sett the twist and put the dry skein on a swift and warp directly from the swift.  High twist skeins look a mess when relaxed but straighten out when you put them under tension again if there are no loose ends.  I store them in tightly wound balls.