Hello Yarn Handspun Yarns.... Random Dyeing

Random Dyeing with Acid Dyes on Wool Top
oven method

Supplies:
un-dyed wool top
acid dyes
acid (I used white vinegar)
non-metal roasting pan(s)
oven
small bottles for mixing dyes
Please practice acid dye safety! Wear a dust mask when mixing dyes and dedicate all utensils and pans to dyeing. Keep away from food and drink.
I like this method because it's quick, easy, and handling of the wool is minimal, resulting in tops that are quite tidy and don't produce a lot of waste. The random placement of the colors surprises me every time!
To mix acid dye solutions, you can follow instructions from any number of sources, or just wing it. Start out with a tsp. of powder in 16 oz. of water. Dribble a bit on a paper towel and see if you like the concentration. If you want a pale color, sometimes a few drops of that solution in 16 oz. of water will do it. About 2 tbsp. of vinegar in each 16 oz. of water works well for me. Don't be afraid to experiment.

I use about 8 oz. of top in each roasting pan. Here are 2, 8 oz. sections weighed out.

Soak them in hot water (don't agitate) until thoroughly wet.

Mix your dyes. I like a few similar colors and one contrasting one. Mix the colors a little strong, since this method leaves some sections un-dyed and that white will tone down the other colors. If your colors are pale to begin with, you'll end up with a very pastel yarn (not that there's anything wrong with that...).

Take one 8 oz. section of wool out of the water in one giant blob and squeeze a lot of the water out of it. Place it in the roasting pan willy nilly, only making sure it's in kind of an even layer.

Pour the dye on as you see fit. Overlap some colors.
Bake, covered, at about 355 F for 20-30 minutes. Make sure the water doesn't boil or dry out. When the water is clear and the whole thing is steaming, it's done.

Let cool and fill a sink with lukewarm water. When the wool is the same temp as the water, dump it in. Let it sit a bit and drain the sink. Refill with same temp. water and let sit again. Repeat until water is clear. Don't let the tap run directly onto the wool.

Results!

A different dyelot spun up.

Page 1- Crock-Pot and oven dyeing