The Craft of Spinning and Dyeing Wool

Spinning and dyeing wool is an age-old craft, and the original technique for spinning and dyeing wool is still a highly popular craft with handweavers gathering their own fleece, spinning the yarn and then dyeing it before creating wonderful garments and rugs, etc.

Wherever there are sheep there is fleece to be gathered that can be spun into yarn. Sheep shed their fleece during the early month of summer either on hedges or on the ground. When gathering fleece if the fibers should break when pulled leave it as it will probably be last years. Also before gathering fleece ask the farmers permission before scouring his land. It is unlikely he will object and it will be a courtesy which will be appreciated.

The most primitive form of spinning is the way that it was done centuries ago with a simple homemade spindle. When spinning with this method you may find that at first the yarn breaks and that it is full of lumps but it is this texture that gives a piece of work its uniqueness and this wool is highly prized by experienced hand weavers.

Spinning as it has been done for centuries

Tools - Sharp knife

Materials - 3/8 inch dowelling; ½ inch thick wood disc; fleece

Making the spindle

1. Cut a piece of 3/8 in. dowelling, 12-14 inches long.

2. Cut a wooden disc about 3 inches in diameter and about ½ inch thick with a 3/8 inch hole in the centre (or one half of a large apple will do as a temporary measure).

3. Push the dowel through the disc or the apple so that about ¾ inch protrudes.

4. Cut a notch sloping upwards about ¾ inch from the other end of the stick.

Spinning

5. The first step in spinning is to take a handful of fleece in one hand and pull out a few fibres with the other. Twist them clockwise, as they are pulled out of the fleece ball.

6. When working alone, hook the beginning of the yarn on to a sharp object so that it is held firmly. Do not overstretch the wool, but continue pulling and rolling the fibres between the palms of the hands. Always twist the wool in the same direction. And if a helper is holding the end of the yarn he should also twist, but in the opposite direction.

7. When about 18 inches of yarn has been spun, tie it to the spindle just above the disc, around the stick below it and loop it round the notch at the top of the spindle with a half hitch.

8. Hold the ball of fleece in the left hand and overlap several inches of the yarn with wool fibres. Now hold them firmly together between the left thumb and forefinger.

9. Twist the spindle sharply clockwise with the right hand. Keep it clear of the ground (it is best to stand up while you are using the spindle).

10. When the twist in the wool has run up and joined the fibres and thread together, move the right thumb and forefinger up to with ½ inch of the left, and hold on while the spindle is still turning clockwise.

11. Slacken the left hand just enough to release more of the fibres and pull them upwards from the right hand's grasp. The spindle should still be turning clockwise.

12. Take way the right hand so that the new fibres can be taken up with the rising twist. Keep the spindle rotating with the right hand. The spinning sequence is: Spin (right hand); Hold (right hand); Pull (left hand); Release (right hand). The rising twist can be felt when it reaches up to the right hand. This is the precise moment to release more of the fibres from the left hand and let go with the right hand.

13. Continue in this way to the extent of the reach of your left arm, then unhitch the yarn from top and bottom of the spindle and wind it round the stick, criss-cross up and down, to form a cone shape (this keeps the spindle properly balanced). Leave about 18 inches of the yarn unwound for when you start spinning again.

14. When the spindle is full (do not overload), wind the yarn off the spindle into a ball, leaving the last 18 inches of yarn to start spinning again.

Washing the wool

1. Wind the wool removed from the spindle into a skein. Tie loosely in four places.

2. Prepare a bowl of hot water and a lather of pure soap. Soak the wool for about 20 minutes and then wash it out gently but thoroughly. Do not wring or twist.

3. Rinse in warm water with a little ammonia.

4. Spin dry.

Once your yarn has been spun then there is no finer way to dye it than with the subtle colours of wild plants and berries.

There are some dyestuffs such as lichens and walnuts that can be used directly on to the wool whilst others plants require that the wool be prepared so that it can absorb the colour. The process used in this case is called 'mordanting' and is vital.

The most usual mordants are alum and cream of tartar and are easily obtainable from pharmacies. The less usual mordants such as iron (ferrous sulphate), tin ( stannous chloride) and chrome (bichromate of potash) are only available from chemical suppliers.

Different mordants produce different shades with the same dyestuff. For example, tin brightens a colour, iron darkens it and chrome gives strong tones to yellow dyes.

Recipes for mordants

Alum

3-4 oz alum

1oz cream of tartar

1 lb wool

Large pan

Cold water

Dissolve the alum and cream of tartar separately and add to the pan of water - up to 3 gallons. Always make sure the mordant is completely dissolved.

Heat the water until tepid and add up to 1lb of wetted wool.

Bring the water gradually to boiling point in not less than one hour.

Reduce the heat and simmer for a further 45 minutes gently stirring once or twice.

Lift out the wool and drain

Do not wring or squeeze.

The wool can be dyed immediately or left wrapped in a cloth for several days.

Tin

½ oz stannous chloride

2oz cream of tartar

1lb wool

Process as for alum.

Chrome

¼-½ oz bichromate of potash

1lb wool.

Keep a lid on the pan during mordanting as chrome is sensitive to light.

Wash wool and dry in shade if not dyed immediately.

Iron

1/2oz ferrous sulphate

1oz cream of tartar

1lb wool

Unlike other mordants, iron should be used only after wool has been boiled with the dyestuff for 30 minutes.

Lift out wool

Add thoroughly dissolved mordants (separately)

Replace the wool and boil for a further 30 minutes.

Choosing natural dyes

When using plants for dyeing it is best not to plan on precise shades as they will provide certain ranges of colour. Each batch will vary.

The harder the material used the longer it will take to produce the colour. Soft berries give out their colours quickly on the other hand a hard bark should be soaked in water for a couple of days before starting the process.

When dyeing your wool put the dyestuff (at least 1lb to 1lb of wool) into cold water and bring it slowly to the boil.

Continue boiling until the colour is given off (seconds with berries and perhaps 2-3 hours for bark).

Leave the liquid to cool.

Once cool put in the wool to be dyes and bring back to the boil.

Leave to simmer until a good colour is reached.

Once you are happy with the colour remove the wool.

Gently squeeze and rinse thoroughly in cold water before drying. The colour should then be fast.

Recipes for dyes

Apple or ash bark

Mordant: Alum (gives yellows and olives). Boil at least 2 hours before adding wool.

Bilberries

No mordant (slate blue). Use 1lb well-bruised berries to 1lb wool. Boil for just a few seconds before adding wool.

Blackberries

Mordant: Alum plus 1oz Alt to 1lb berries (slate blue). Crush the berries into cold water, boil for a few seconds, then cool. Strain out seed before adding wool.

Bracken Buds

Mordant: Alum (yellowish-green). Simmer for 2 hours before adding wool.

Elder Leaves

Mordant: Alum for yellowish green; alum plus a tablespoonful of salt for blue. Boil about an hour before adding wool.

Elder Bark

Mordant: Iron (black). Boil for 2 hours before adding wool.

Golden Rod

Mordant: Chrome, plus 2oz cream of tartar (golden yellow). Simmer for 2-3 hours before adding wool.

Lichen (Black Crottle)

No mordant (rust, orange, brown, copper). Simmer for 2-3 hours before adding wool.

Ling (Heather)

Mordant: Alum (yellow). Use 2lb to 1lb wool. Simmer 3-4 hours before adding wool.

Privet Leaves

Mordant: Alum (yellow). Boil for about an hour before adding wool.

Walnuts

No mordant (dark brown and black). Soak the whole fruit -ripe or unripe- for several days first. Boil for ½ hour before adding wool.

Source
The Handbook of Country Crafts, by Barbara Hargreaves, published by the Automobile association