Megan Granger

Posted on: Dyeing techniquesDecember 21, 2023

Organic Dyeing Egret with Greener Shades

Organic non-superwash yarn bases such as Egret are a great way to bring more sustainable yarns into your shop or stash. But how do you dye this yarn to organic standards using the acid dying process you are already familiar with?

Greener Shades acid dyes are the answer. They are metal-free acid dyes that conform to organic standards and are just as wash fast and light fast as traditional pre-metalized acid dyes.

In this tutorial, we will dye EGRET in three tonal colors using Greener Shades acid dyes, inspired by a mood board of hydrangeas. First we will build a color palette, then we will mix primary colors to develop our color recipes, and then of course, dye the yarn!

Materials

• 1 pack of EGRET (10 skeins)
• Greener Shades Acid Dyes in the colors:
  • River Blue
  • Ruby Red
  • Sunrise Yellow
  • Midnight Black
• Citric acid (or vinegar)
• Synthrapol (or Dawn)
• Stainless steel pan or pot
• Scale – This recipe is measured in grams
• Measuring cups
• PH strips
• Safety equipment:
  • Respirator or N95 mask
  • Gloves
  • Lab coat
• Heat source
• Wool wash such as Soak or Eucalan (optional)
• Watercolor paper and paint brushes (optional)

Creating a Color Palette

I use the online application Canva to compile my inspiration photos into a collage. With the color picker tool you can extract colors from any image or photo to create a palette that’s uniquely your own. Simply add a circle (or any desired shape) to your Canva collage and use the “add new color” tool to select a color by hovering over it on your screen.

Once you have a few colors that you like, start experimenting with different combinations until you find the perfect palette for your needs. A few tips for using creating beautiful color palettes:

• Use a variety of colors to create a more dynamic palette.
• Experiment with different hues, saturations, and brightnesses to find the perfect combination.
• Consider using complementary colors to create a more vibrant palette.
• Don’t be afraid to experiment and have fun!

Once you have decided on your target colors, it’s time to get mixing. Greener shades dyes are supplied in primary colors, so we will need to mix them together in order to create our color recipes.

Mixing Dyes

Prepare a 1% stock solution for each dye.

A 1% solution is prepared by adding 1 gram per 100 mL water. I prepared 500 mL of each color by dissolving 5 grams of dye powder into 500 mL of very hot water. You can store the remaining solution in a sealed container for up to 1 month.

Some of the colors, especially Sunrise Yellow, will not go into solution as quickly as others. Best practice is to first add a minimal amount of very hot water to the dye, and briskly mash with a spoon or small kitchen whisk to create a paste. Gradually add water while continuously stirring until the required volume is achieved. Adding heat will also help the dye powders to dissolve.

Using these 4 primary colors, you can create endless color combinations. To match the mood board, we are going to create a warm mossy green, a cool steel blue, and a warm purple mauve.

Watercolor paper can help you get an idea of what the colors will look like on yarn. Paint the dye onto the paper as you are combining colors to fine tune your recipe. The top row in the example photo is the 1% dye solution of each primary color. In the second row, I started mixing, first with a little red, yellow, and black to get the warmth I wanted. Then, I added blue until it was just right. The color on the watercolor paper will never be exactly the same as on the yarn, but it is close enough to get started.

Once you are satisfied with your colors, it is time to start dying some yarn.

Color Recipes

Each recipe is prepared using 1% stock solutions (see previous section for mixing instructions) and is enough for dying 1 skein (100 grams) of EGRET. If dying multiple skeins per batch, multiple the volume listed with the number of 100 gram skeins you plan to dye.

These color recipes were used to create all 6 colors in the example photo. Simply double the recipe for the darker colors.

Color 1 – Warm Moss Green

Color 2 – Steel Blue

Color 3 – Warm Purple Mauve

Dye Procedure:

1. Soak the yarn in lukewarm water plus Synthrapol for at least 1 hour. Overnight is best to ensure the yarn is fully saturated.
2. Fill your stainless steel pan or pot with enough water to fully immerse the yarn.
3. Add citric acid or vinegar to the dye pan to achieve a pH of 3.0 – 4.0. The amount of acid required will depend on the mineral content of your water. For my water, I need ~ 1 TBSP / 5 L water.
4. Add ⅓ of the dye mixture to the pan. Stir thoroughly.
5. Add your yarn while carefully turning the skeins over a few times to evenly coat the yarn with the dye. Since this is a non-superwash yarn, take care to avoid excess agitation as it may cause felting.
6. Heat the yarn to ~180F (82C) for 30 minutes.
7. Carefully lift the yarn out of the pan.
8. Add another ⅓ of the dye mixture to the pan. Stir thoroughly.
9. Return the yarn to the pan, carefully turning the skeins over a few times for even color coating.
10. Heat the yarn for another 30 minutes.
11. Carefully lift the yarn out of the pan.
12. Add the remainder of the dye mixture to the pan. Stir thoroughly.
13. Return the yarn to the pan, carefully turning the skeins for even color coating.Take extra care to avoid excess agitation. The yarn will be very prone to felting when hot.
14. Heat the yarn until the dye has fully exhausted.
15. Let cool to room temperature.
16. Carefully rinse the yarn a few times in cool water.
17. Optional – Soak the yarn in a conditioning wool wash such as Soak or Eucalan for ~30 minutes.
18. Hang yarn to dry.

The Results