10g of dye powder with 10 tablespoons of white vinegar will dye 1kg of wool to full shade. For smaller quantities one level teaspoon of dye powder with two tablespoons of white vinegar will dye 200 gms of wool. For a lighter colour add less dye powder.

You will need

1 Dyepot which can be heated, 1 good stirrer, rubber gloves and white vinegar

Simple Dyeing Recipe

1. In a sink or basin thoroughly "wet" wool soaking it in warm water containing 1/4 teaspoon of dish wash detergent for 20 minutes.
2. Fill dyepot with water. The level of water should be enough to cover article to be dyed and allow circulation.
3. Mix the dye powder to a paste in a small container with a little cold water. Then add sufficient warm water to dissolve it. Add this dye concentrate to the water in the dye pot.
4. Add two tablespoons of white vinegar to the dyepot for every 200 gms of wool and stir.
5. Add the wool to the liquid in the dyepot. Turn gently so the wool soaks up dye evenly.
6. Slowly raise the temperature of the dyepot liquid to boiling point. Turn the wool gently from time to time to avoid uneven color.
7. Simmer for 30-40 minutes.
8. If dye liquid remains highly coloured, add a little extra white vinegar five minutes before the end of dyeing.
9. Allow the dyebath to cool before handling.
10. Remove the wool from the dyebath.
    Rinse in warm water.
    Rinse in cool water and dry.

Notes:

When dyeing coloured wool or fabric results will be different from colour chart. Before you throw away the dyebath liquid add 1-2 teaspoons of baking soda to the liquid to neutralize the acid in the water, it is nicer to the environment.

The Ashford Book Of Dyeing is packed full of information on different methods and ideas of all kinds. Chapter Three will teach you more about how to use chemical dyes.

For Your Safety

1. Keep containers tightly closed and out of children's reach.
2. Wear gloves.
3. Wear a dust mask when handling dry dye powder.
4. Keep dye pots and utensils for dyeing only.
5. Avoid breathing fumes.

1. Pull the wool fibers apart so they have spaces between them. Add an additional layer with the fibers running in the opposite direction.
2. Wrap wool strip loosely around your favorite bar of soap, covering the whole bar and make sure the ends overlap.
3. You can now add additional colours over your layers of wool around the soap.
4. Hold onto the bar of soap and wet it in a bowl of warm water. Remove from the bowl of water, and squeeze out some of the water from the wool.
5. Begin rubbing the wool around the soap in your hands, the wool will get all lathered up.
6. Remember to rub all side of the bar of soap. To help, you can also use a carpet runner with grooves in it, felting board or a wash board (or any other bumpy surface) for rubbing; kids like the "whooba whooba" sound.
7. Add water as needed and continue rubbing the wool until you cannot pull the fibers apart.
8. When completely felted, rinse the bar of soap in cold water.

Congratulations! You now have your own felted bar of soap! You can use it in the shower or bath, and it can take place of your washcloth.

Once your bar of soap has melted with use; you can plant the discarded felted wool in your garden. The roses love the wool, and will thank you by making more flowers!

Hint: If the bar of soap is too big to felt in your hand, microwave it for about 20 seconds and repeat if necessary, then cut the soap into smaller peices. This is a great thing to do for little hands.

In our picture we used Perendale sliver, but if you are impatient Merino and Polwarth felts faster.

1. Wrap wool strip loosely around your wrist, making sure the ends overlap.
2. Remove wool circle from your wrist and set it aside. Wet your hands in hot water and rub them with a bar of soap until your hands are soapy.
3. Lightly dampen the wool circle with soap and water from your hands, work the soap into the wool until the wool fibres stick together.
4. When the circle of wool is totally wet and soapy, insert one palm inside the circle and the other outside and quickly rub your hands back and forth.
5. Keep rubbing all areas of the circle hard and fast, blot off excess soap onto a clean towel. If the wool dries out, add more hot water and soap to your hands. Soon the wool will become hard and felt together.
6. Once the wool becomes hard, dampen the bracelet and crumple it into a ball and roll it between your palms. It will become smaller as you roll it. Check the size as you go.
7. When your bracelet reaches the right size, rinse out the soap with water and your bracelet is ready to wear.
8. Your bracelet will continue to shrink every time it gets wet. When it becomes too tight, be sure to cut it off and make a wish and hope that your wish comes true!

THE STORY OF FELT

Legend has it that felt was discovered by a monk who, having lined his sandals with wool to keep his feet more comfortable, noticed that after he walked on the material for a while, and got it wet in rain and creek water, that the wool fibres bonded together to form a material which could be used for making different pieces of clothing or other items like bags and even hats.

Today, monks and everyone else can find the best selection of fibres for felting in different colors here at Birkeland Bros.

• Microwaveable glass casserole dish
• 100 gram skein of wool or a mix with other animal fibers
• 4 packages of non-sweetened Kool-Aid or store brand drink mix (try different colours)
• Warm water
• Liquid dish soap
• Microwave

1. Saturate wool in water mix with a few drops of the liquid dish soap for 1 to 2 hours.
2. Squeeze wool to make sure it has absorbed the water.
3. Pour off most of the excess water - let the wool sit in a small pool of water.
4. Sprinkle powders randomly onto the wool, turning it over to the other side.
5. "Cook" in the Microwave for 2 minutes on high, and then let stand "cool" for 5 minutes.
6. Repeat alternating "cooking" time and "cooling" time until water is clear.
Wool and dish will be very hot. Handle carefully when removing from microwave.
7. Have the sink filled with warm water and pour contents of dish into sink water.
8. When thouroughly rinsed, squeeze out excess water and place into washing machine and spin to dry. Otherwise, roll up in towels and step on it to remove water.
9. Hang to dry.

1. Start by pulling the fleece apart in chunks, and remove the larger chunks of dirt.
2. Fill up a tub of soft, yes soft, water, as hot as your hands can take. Recommend using a kids' wading pool - outside. The kids can help you by walking through the wool, and they will have fun! I know this by personal experience!
3. Submerse the wool in the water.
4. To wash try Wisk liquid soap (as per UBC study).
5. To scrub, use a plunger and plunge the wool. Do not rub or ring the wool together, as it will felt!
6. Wool must be washed two or three times depending on how dirty it is.
Throw the water on the plants (roses love the lanolin) - not down the sink as the fibers and the lanolin will eventually clog your drains!
7. Wool must by rinsed in clear, soft (yes, soft) water with the plunger two or three times.
8. Air dry. This is best done in the summer and dried on the clothes line or thrown on the grass.
9. A glass of something cold always helps the process along :)

Do not use washers or dryers, as this will matt and ruin the wool.

Happy washing!