Jump to content
Fly Tying
troutguy

Dyeing at home

Recommended Posts

In large enough quantities, it would probably do the trick ... if you really want to die at home. But I'd recommend calling a suicide hotline first, to see what they can do for you.

Dying at home is preferable to dying in a hospi ... oh, you mean colors !!! dye ... not die !!!

 

Never mind.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi,

Turmeric works really well giving you a sort of golden olive colour.

You do not need a lot of turmeric to achieve a good colour

 

I have use vinegar to set the dye.

 

You need to make sure your feathers are really free of grease and are clean to allow this

light coloured dye to be absorbed onto the feathers.

 

I use synthrapol to wash and clean the feathers , it's really good and inexpensive.

 

Hope the above helps

Fotwin

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Fotwin

 

I bought tumeric to take for its very beneficial health properties. I bought a 14 ounce jar for five dollars. I was reading if it was also benficial for dogs when I saw about dyeing at home. Mikechell, No not that kind.

 

I saw dyeing recipes that used vinegar and those that did not. I have some grizzly necks that I got from roosters people raised. I thought yellow and black would be a color I would use so I tried dyeing a grizzly cape. I also put a pice of tanned coyote back in the mix. I followed the persons mixture of vinegar and water. I simmered on the stove for 50 minuets as they described.

 

The grizzly cape turned out great. The skin held the feathers and did not fall apart at all. No feathers pulled loose. It is drying on newspaper. I will post pictures later. I looks great for streamers and very buggy too.

 

The coyote skin disintegrated in the dye. The skin was tanned.

 

I have tied for years, boraxed my own skins since I was ten. This is my first dyeing experience. Why did the tanned skin fall apart and the boraxed chicken cape not?

 

The online recipes for tumeric are almost equally split between no vinegar and vinegar. Did the vinegar destroy the hide?

 

I'm looking for advice from someone who actually used tumeric. I don't want to waste any more good fur.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Guest

Only thing I can think of is the water was too hot - I've done many pieces of tanned fox fur, coyote and artic fox fur and never had any of them fall apart. I don't use a pot for fur pieces - I use Ball canning jars and trust me make sure they are Ball or even Mason but they HAVE to be canning jars!!! I had some Ball jars but they were craft jars not canning - big mistake and big mess.

 

I heat the water in a pan - and get a thermometer (cheap meat one works fine) no more than 140 degrees then pour the water into the dye/vinegar mix in the jar and stir it, then let it sit. Stir occasionally, just remember it will always look darker when wet. If the water cools too much wrap some Saran wrap over the top of the jar and poke some holes in it and put in the microwave for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes, use a towel or oven mit to take it out and stir it.

 

No matter what fur you use you'll lose a little.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Originally all dye were from natural materials (like on the old Persian or Navajo rugs). Lots of people still use plant dyes. The main thing about whether a dye will work (and last) is the use of a mordant. Vinegar is one, but there are others. It would help you to read up on the science of dyeing, and learning which mordants to use and how to use them. I've used food colors a lot, but haven't tried using veggies like onion skins, but I know they work from what I've seen from other folks.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

if coffee, tea and onion skins work for dyeing materials i don't see why other natural ingredients wouldn't work

 

you can always ask GOOGLE!

 

https://www.google.com/#q=dyeing+with+turmeric

Good thing Google can link to threads like this, where people join a discussion board to talk about experiences. Instead of just googling.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Appreciate this topic as I was going to try dyeing some of the deer hide I have cut down to manageable sizes. No matter what you do you are bound to loose some of the hair. I washed it in the backyard with dish soap & warm water and lost some of the hair. I have at least 3 hides to experiment with after I learn more about mordants.

Thank you for starting this thread.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Guest

When cleaning your heavier hides make sure to get as much meat/tissue and blood off the hide, when you wash them use a heavy plastic tined hair brush and use Dawn Dish soap and some borax and use the brush to brush through the hair it will get a lot of dirt you don't normally get out with washing by hand. Even after dyeing them keep them away from your regular materials, until you know there are no bugs. Materials cost too much to have any accidents.

 

Dyeing deer hair can be tough as you have to use more dye/heavier concentrate of it to get all the way into the hairs. Once I got over being chicken to trying it I've found it fun!!!!! Just make sure to keep the head ladys counters covered well to avoid any stains!!!!!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi Guys,

I have not had deer hair fall apart while dyeing but I have had fox fur turning into a globular mess.

 

I think it was due to a combination of the dye bath being too hot and too much stirring and adgitaton which destroyed the fur.

 

I now put the fox fur in a nylon bag now which protects the fur and stops it from breaking up .

 

The use of a thermometer to control the water temperature is simple way to get good results.

 

What is the procedure to dye your own materials?

There is a lot of gung ho out there and a lot of myth about what to do.

 

If you go to a site called georgeweil.com and look up Acid Dyes you will find a pretty good explanation

of what to do. They give a detailed procedure under the heading of Acid Dye Recipe

 

It describes how to dye wool , but the procedure is the same for feathers and fur.

The only problem is figuring out the quantities of dye and additives you need for the smaller amounts of feather and fur.

 

Instead of using vinegar you can use, as I do, powder Citric Acid and you can also use powder Glauber salts which evens out the absorption of the dye into the feathers , giving a better quality of finished product.

 

 

anyway hope the above is of help

Fotwin

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

For turmeric I find no heat or acid or anything additional is required. Just leave your fur/feather/tshirt in a high concentration liquid of it for 24 hours and it wont wash out however hard you try. The tshirt was ruined after only 4 rainy hours with turmeric stained fingers.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Guest

My technique for for dyeing fur on the hide is to dissolved the dye in some hot water and then add more water and the piece of fur. I usually simmer around 180°F but for this technique I take the temp to 190°F. I then turn off the heat and allow the bath to cool down. Prolonged heating is what destroys the skin. It basically cooks the hide.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

LOL Piker. Just use more to dye the whole thing pee yellow, then you can wear it again ... if you want to.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...

×
×
  • Create New...