Painting Fibre

I've been hand-painting Merino-Tencel fibre.  The fibre is first weighed then thoroughly wetted.  I add citric acid to the water it soaks in.  Dyes are mixed and I like to use a squeeze bottle to apply it.  I'm using ProChem Turquoise and Avocado here.  I've placed the blue evenly over the length of the fibre, now I'm applying the green.  When the dye is all applied and saturated through the fibre, I roll up the fibre in the plastic that you see underneath it and place it onto a rack in a steamer for 30 minutes.  It is over the water, not touching it.  The heat sets the dye.

 

See the Turquoise & Avocado in the back?  I've also painted Violet/Pink and Red/Golden Yellow.  I like the way the yellow makes the red more coral-colored.  The sheen doesn't seem to show much in this photo.  Tencel is very shiny.  This is a 50/50 blend of Tencel with Merino.  This fibre is lovely for hand-spinning, but many are wet-felting it.  The wool does the felting, but carries the Tencel with it so you see the shading wool with the shiny wiggle of the Tencel.