In the Pink – Acid dyed wool from recycled tissue paper

recycled tissue paper acid dyed wool 

The year is racing away and its been another long while since I posted on this blog. But I have another excuse.

I am getting back to reality after another surgical adventure care of our amazing NHS hospitals,  Taking it easy;  browsing Etsy and the like I came across a new UK online magazine, Bodkin, for crafters who love to try out different skills. You can find it at

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Yarnspy

My dye pot has been staring me in the face for weeks  but  now I have been told I’m allowed to lift a few pots and pans for myself  I just had to have a go at something really interesting  I read there. It proved to be well worth the trouble.  Today I have very successfully dyed 12.5gms (1/2 oz) of wool using a couple of sheets of recycled, colored tissue paper!

That scruffy tissue paper may well have been lurking in my little paper stash for a decade, but today was its day. Wow! Pink fit to dress your favorite Barbie doll and the color has set really tight.

If you have ever had the misfortune to wash a white table cloth with a colored paper napkin caught inside it you will now just how rapidly that color transfers and ruins your cloth

 It happens because the dye in papers such as tissue, napkin, and crepe is most often an “acid” dye which will also dye wool and these types of paper have fewer binders than harder paper, so the color readily comes out in water. There is no acid in the dye you just need to add some (white vinegar or citric acid) to the process to help the color absorption and heat to set it.

I will be growing my collection of tissue paper and napkins if I go to a party from now on. This is a great way to create a hue of colored yarns at virtually no cost and help conserve the planet too!

All thanks to Bodkin . http://www.etsy.com/shop/Yarnspy