Dying Woollen Blankets

[Magentus]

Hi all, I recently bought a lovely big woollen blanket from a charity shop which is perfect EXCEPT I really don't like the colour (cream) and so after looking fruitlessly on Google, I thought I'd ask if anyone here has any experience they want to share. I'd like to dye it grey or green.

Thanks Magentus

 

[Tor helge]

I`ve not dyed anything as big as a entire blanket, but I`ve dyed some trousers (thorsberg copy) made from a blanket.
I used Herdins dye for wool bought in a paint shop.
I used a big kettle not the washing machine and the trousers got a little uneven because the kettle was still too small. They are good enough for me though.
I just followed the user description from the dye packet.

Tor

 

[Toddy]

Tor's right about making sure that whatever you use to dye the wool in is big enough, if you want it to be even.
I use big black plastic dustbins.

The other thing that's important is to wash the blanket first and make sure there's neither grease or fabric conditioner left in it, beforehand.

Dylon do a dye for wool, read the packet and make sure it actually says "For Wool". If it doesn't, it won't.
Basically wool needs an acid dye whereas cotton and many artificial fibres don't. However, those are the most popular materials to dye so most dyes are made for them.

I'm sure there'll be other folks along who've done the blanket dye recently with good advice

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Magentus]

Thanks you two - -just so happens I cleaned out a big black dustbin today - I grew my potatos in it! I'll get onto it this week I think and I'll post my results.

Magentus

 

[John Fenna]

I have had mixed results with Dylon - you need a lot more dye than you might think to get the shade on the tin!

 

[maddave]

Try making a dye from nettles...If memory serves right all the Khaki green army stuff in WWII was dyed with nettles...I believe onion skins can be used too but I have no experience of this

 

[Magentus]

Cheers - Do you have to boil the blanket in the nettles? It sounds like something I'd like to try; very natural and a useful skill to learn.

Magentus

 

[troy ap De skog]

for dark geens and purples you can use varius heathers and nettals
for brown you elm or oak
and redish colour use beetroot
some of the veg dye may require add of other substences to become perinent

 

[Toddy]

Few natural dyes need no mordant.
The easiest ones to aquire and use safely are iron and alum, with copper coming a good third choice.

Too much Iron will rot the wool while copper can be very toxic.
Alum is excellent if you want to achieve bright colours.

Have a look here at the first few images of natural dyes on hoops. These colours are all on wool,
http://www.seamstimeless.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

Nettles are very good, but to dye a blanket you will need a heck of a lot of them, and you will have to boil the dyestuff to get the full colour.
The colours to the top right of the first image are nettle dyed.

Happy to provide more information if you do decide to do it this way. I'm not trying to put you off, but for a blanket, I must admit that even I'd be tempted by the box of dylon wool dye
If you don't want to use Dylon look for Acid dyes, fibrecrafts, kemtech and the like all sell that for home dyeing.

Cheers,
Toddy