Guest Author - Pegg Thomas

Crock pots are a wonderful invention. They make meal preparation easy for people who work and still enjoy a good home cooked meal. The inventor, however, probably never envisioned their crock pot as a handspinner’s tool. But they sure can be!

In this article I’ll deal with just the basics of crock pot dyeing. I’ll follow up with more specific articles on different types of crock pot dyeing. There are so many ways to create beautiful yarns!



The Equipment:
There are many different types of crock pots available and some work better than others for dyeing. Crock pots made of metal instead of the more traditional crockery are not a good idea for use in dyeing. Metals can and do react with the acid in dyes, even if all you are using for acid is white vinegar, the chemical reaction can spoil the desired colors. So find a nice thick pottery type crock pot to use. Garage sales are a great place to find these and save some money! Bigger is better, so you can do more wool in one batch.

Never use a crock pot that will be used again for food preparation! This cannot be stressed enough. Using any type of acid dye in the crock pot may cause contamination that cannot be washed out. Be safe and buy a special crock pot just for dyeing.

Use only utensils that will not be used for food preparation. Use either plastic or wood, always avoid metal when dyeing. A long handled wooden spoon is helpful for stirring in the dye, poking down the fibers and helping to lift them out of the dye. A plastic measuring spoon is works best for measuring dye powders and liquids. Rubber gloves are a good idea unless you favor multicolored hands and an old shirt or apron helps keep clothes clean. Also remember that drips will leave stains. If you have a nice surface to work on, put down an old plastic tablecloth or some other type of cover to protect your surfaces.

The Process:

Always start with wet fibers. Whether you use washed fibers, roving or yarn it needs to be wet before it enters the crock pot. Fibers take a bit to get fully wet, so let them soak while you get the rest of your materials together. If you are having trouble getting your fibers fully wet, add a bit of soap to the water and soak. After a few minutes, move to a rinse water of the same temperature. Soap actually makes water ‘wetter’ and will help the process.

Fill the crock pot with water of the same temperature that you’re using to wet your fibers. I like to use very warm, almost hot water since I’m usually washing my fibers just before dyeing. Using cold water may make a more even color result.

Add at least ½ cup of white vinegar. If you have hard water you may want to add a touch more. If you have very hard water you can add a tablespoon of salt as well. These will help the dye work better.

Now it’s time to add the dye powder. If you are not in a well ventilated area, wear a paper face mask to protect against inhaling the powders. Use the plastic measure spoon to add dye to the water. I often mix 1 or 2 different colors together to obtain the shade I’m looking for. Pour in vinegar. Take your time and make sure this gets stirred and blended completely before adding your fibers. Haste makes spots!

Once your crock pot is ready and the dye is all mixed in, it’s time to add the fibers. Carefully press out as much water as you can without wringing. You want to remove the water so it does not dilute your dye bath. Push the fibers down into the crock pot with the wooden or plastic spoon. Work carefully but quickly to get all the fibers in. Your fibers should have a little room to move in the crock pot. (I’m terrible about over crowding my dye pots and the photo here is no exception! But since I’m dyeing fibers that will be carded later, I can even up the color at that point.)



Put the lid on and set the temperature on low for 2 to 4 hours, depending on the crock pot size and the amount of fibers added. When the water appears clear or just slightly cloudy, the dye has been exhausted. Now turn the crock pot off, remove the lid, and let the whole thing cool down to room temperature. Forcing the dye pot to cool quickly or removing the fibers before they are fully cooled will result in a less colorfast finished product. Don’t cheat or hurry on this point! When the fibers are fully cooled, rinse in cool water and lay out to dry.