No need to use pirns for end-feed shuttles since I am not using shuttles.
These were only 50-yard skeins and the winding off onto the bobbins went very easily with my manual bobbin winder. However, more and more I am thinking that what has caused my winding-off problems has been my dyeing techniques.
SANDRA RUDE DYES 60/2 BOMBYX SILK
Sandra Rude of Sandra's Loom Blog routinely winds and dyes very large skeins of 60/2 silk. Moreover, though she does make her figure-of-eight crosses in four places on the skein, she divides the skein only in half. She kindly gave me these details in response to my questions. You can read her post on this here.
MOVING THE SKEINS EVERY WHICH WAY
When I first started dyeing skeins of 60/2 silk I wanted the dye to penetrate evenly and I did not want the ties to leave any white spots. To achieve these ends, I moved the skeins around a lot in the dye pot. And I turned and turned them.
UP AND DOWN ONLY
Lately I have been gingerly experimenting with moving them only up and down in the dye pot. Basically, I lift the skein up by a polyester cord. I lift it out of the dye liquor and then let it drop gently back into the dye pot.
With each succeeding dye job I have moved closer and closer to this procedure; and with each succeeding dye job the winding off has been easier. And the dying has been level. And there have been no dreaded white spots from the ties.
NUMBER OF SECTIONS IN A FIGURE-OF-8 TIE
Nevertheless, even with 60/2 bombyx silk rather than this difficult silk organzine, I will not have the courage to wind a 1,000 yarn skein and divide it only in half. Why? If there is a problem in winding from the skein to a cone, I have found the problem can be isolated to the particular group of threads that is encased in one section of the figure-of-eight tie. If those sections are small, say 150 yards each,the problem is limited to those 150 yards. If the section is 500 yards, the problem can last for a great deal longer!
Related Posts:
Dyeing Yellows
Winding Cones: Have I Found the Secret?
© 2008
3 comments:
Mmmmm, lovely colours. Don't they look delicious all lined up like that and ready to weave!
Hi Peg, I'm back again and reading with interest. I'm very interested to learn about your and Sandra's dyeing techniques.
I think while we can all learn from other people's methods, it's important to use the procedures that you are comfortable with for yourself. As your organzine seems capable of taking on a life of it's own at times, I am sure you are right to make sure you have it in manageable short skeins!
Yes, I love looking at the colors next to each other. In silk they just gleam. I also love looking at a warp on the loom ready to weave. It just looks so lovely I almost don't want to disturb it!
Dorothy, glad you are enjoying the dyeing info/experiences.
Post a Comment