Hi all,

As of late, I've been using a lot of Yarn.com variegated Tencel. I'm very pleased with it as the colors appear to be randomly spaced and are of different lengths. Unlike some variegated yarns where the colors appear a set distance apart. I'm trying to figure out the difference in nomenclature between the two types of dying methods. Does anyone know what the dying methods might be called? I've heard of space dying and dip-dying but don't know the difference. Or are they the same? 

Comments

Wed, 07/10/2013 - 13:12

laurafry

Dip dyeing will result in repeats. Not sure how the other dyeing effect is achieved, probably industry has come up with a clever way to apply the dye. Painted yarns are created by laying the skein out and applying the dye directly and generally results in a repeat of some sort. All come under the broad heading of variegated. Ps, note the E in the word dyEing. Dying means something different. ;) Cheers Laura
Wed, 07/10/2013 - 13:24

sally orgren

we learned about how manufacturers place a skein in a circular vat and the jets of dye hit the skein at intervals around the circumference to create the variegation. So if you can learn the size of the vat circumference, you can figure out the length of the repeat. (Then you can set up your warp for an Ikat effect.)

I tried to follow up on this information with Dragontail yarns many years ago (sold by Earthguild) but could get no answers. 

I am hoping one of our more experienced dyers can chime in on the terms. Is this what they mean by space dyed?

Has technology changed the process in the ensuing years?

Wed, 07/10/2013 - 16:43

JPMorabito

Space Dyeing is an industrial technique. There are a number of ways this is done, but essentially the yarn runs through a roller or channel where it is exposed to different colored dyes at different intervals - not dissimilar to the vat dyeing technique Sally is talking about. 

With dip dyeing you literally dip half the skein into the dye bath. Similar, more controlled effects can be achieved by directly painting on the dyes.

Thu, 07/11/2013 - 18:09

Weavin Steven

Thanks for the tip about spelling. I definitely wouldn't want to get those two words confused.