| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| wellington womble |
Microwave dyeingI have acquired (along with an awful lot of other stuff) a microwave. I understand you can dye stuff in it, which seems like a pretty good use for it. What kind of dye do I need, and where might I get some? |
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| sally_in_wales |
depends what you want to do, I've used acid dyes very successfully in it, wet your wool and squeeze out the excess, lay it on a plate or on clingfilm, dribble dye on it as you wish, wrap it up and microwave it for a few minutes and it sets the dye nicely. Handy if you want just a skein of something quickly | ||
| frewen |
I've been experimenting with food colouring on protein based fibres.
Soak the wool in 50/50 vinegar and water until fully saturated. Paint on food colouring and nuke wool for 10 minutes on high with another small bowl of water for company. Oh I've done it with silk too 
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| wellington womble |
Where could I get acid dyes. They sound like the sort of thing my pharmacist would give me dirty looks for asking about! | ||
| frewen |
Ashford and Landscape are both are acid dyes
Wingham wool works do both them http://www.winghamwoolwork.co.uk/dyes.php - or go to Ashford's themselves http://www.ashford.co.nz/dyes/dyes-frameset.htm I don't know who's cheaper or where the best place to get them from is. |
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| Stacey |
Your pharmacist wouldn't have them, they're a craft thing  The acid is vinegar - nothing more sinister than that. I get mine from Kemtex though I do covet the jacquard ones 
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| wellington womble |
Stacey, I do wish you hadn't showed me that site. It could be, erm, time-consuming 
Thanks all. Himself is wondering whether I am actually going to cook in the microwave. I don't think I know of anything you can cook in a microwave, except perhaps heating milk for hot chocolate! |
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| jamanda |
Porridge is very good done in a microwave. | ||
| wellington womble |
That's an idea, for the winter. I'm sure there's lots of things, really, it's just I've got so used to not having one, I've forgotten how useful they are. I think there was a thread around somewhere on the non-food uses of microwaves. | ||
| frewen |
Sterilising jam jars?
Steaming felt before blocking Similarly heating up Nuno felt before the serious fulling starts... Glad to see you're getting the equipment in before I arrive
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| wellington womble |
You can felt in them too! Clearly I have been without one for too long, them!
I'm tempted to ask what colour Jamanda dyes her porridge!
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| gil |
Would you mind if I changed the post title spelling ?
I keep thinking this is a thread about your microwave ending its useful life. |
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| wellington womble |
so do I, and I wrote it. Should colourful dyeing have an 'e'? It doesn't look wrong, but isn't in the rules. 
ETA I've done it. The microwave lives on. |
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| HLockhart |
Safety with dyesIf you're using acid dyes in a microwave on a regular basis you should really have a separate microwave rather than using one that you use for food processing. You should also use separate utensils for your dyeing experiments, unless you are dyeing with food dyes. |
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| tahir |
Can you fix food dyes? | ||
| lettucewoman |
dylon hand dye (not the cold or machine)works for tie dying in a microwave...very very easy!!
Koolaid drink mixes work too 
I warm up my cup of tea of coffee if Ive let it to go cold
peas - 3 mins rhubarb - 4 mins sponge pud - 3 mins (yum) meringues - 1 min |