Beach Series: How to dye Mohair with Nuvola – Part 2
Now that you saw the part 1 of this blog, let’s continue with part 2!...
Beach Series: How to dye Mohair with Nuvola – Part 1
Mohair-silk blend yarns have been trending in knitwear and crochet designs for several seasons, and according to the latest reports, their popularity shows no signs of waning. Mohair isn’t just a passing fad; it’s an exceptional fiber cherished for its softness, lustrous shine, mesmerizing halo, and impressive warmth, rivaling even nylon in strength.
If you’re looking to enhance your dyeing skills, mohair silk yarn is an excellent choice. Its lustrous sheen and superb dye absorption offer dyers a gratifying challenge that’s surprisingly accessible.
Moreover, Knomad has recently introduced a new mohair-silk lace yarn named Nuvola, making this luxurious fiber more affordable than ever.
In this guide, I will walk you through an easy step-by-step process for dying a three color, coordinating beach themed collection on Nuvola. These recipes give detailed instructions for dying three skeins each in a lovely tan variegated colorway with green and blue speckles, a tonal colorway called Sand, and a tonal colorway called Seaspray. Even better if you are starting from a 10-skein pack this leaves one skein of natural colored yarn that will also pair beautifully with this vacation-inspired collection.
Materials
- 1 pack of Nuvola (10 skeins)
- Dharma Acid Dyes in the colors:
- 426 Pecan Brown
- 450 Sage Leaf
- 480 Sea Spray
- Citric acid (or vinegar)
- Synthrapol Detergent (or Dawn)
- Stainless steel pan or pot
- Scale – This recipe is measured in grams
- Measuring cup
- pH strips or meter
- Kitchen thermometer
- Wisk
- Tongs
- Zip ties or plastic shower rings
- Safety equipment:
- Respirator or N95 mask
- Gloves
- Lab coat
- Heat source
- Wool wash such as Soak or Eucalan (optional)
Mixing Instructions
For this recipe, we will be working from 1% dye stock solutions of Pecan Brown and Sea Spray. A 1% dye solution is made by adding 1 gram of dry dye powder to 100 mL of water. You can scale this recipe up or down depending on how much yarn you plan to dye.
Instructions:
1. Using a scale, measure 1 gram of each dye.
2. Add a minimal amount of very hot water to the dye and briskly mash with a spoon or small kitchen whisk to create a paste.
3. Gradually add more hot water while continuously stirring. Bring the final volume of the solution up to 100 mL.
Your liquid dye solution can be stored in a sealed container for up to 1 month.
General Tips for dyeing Mohair and other “fluffy” yarns:
Dying Mohair or other fluffy fibers is really no different than other yarn.
- Always start with well-saturated fiber: Soak the yarn in a mixture of lukewarm water and detergent before dyeing. Silk especially requires extra time to properly wet, so this is not a step to skip or rush.
- Avoid extreme temperature changes: Avoid shocking the fiber by soaking the yarn in cold water and then immediately plunging it into hot water. After dying is complete, always allow your fiber to slowly cool back down to room temperature before washing.
- Avoid high heat: Silk can be very temperature sensitive, and since many fluffy yarns such as Nuvola are spun with a silk core, it is best to avoid exposing this elegant fiber to extreme heat that is >85℃ / 185℉.
- Avoid excess agitation: Fiber is felted through heat, water, and agitation. Since we have to heat the fiber in order to dye the yarn, take care when handling the yarn just as you would any non-superwash yarn.
Dye Procedure
Setup
Follow these setup instructions for all three color recipes. After step #4, proceed to the color recipe for specific instructions.
1. Attach a zip tie or plastic shower curtain ring through the center of each hank for easy handling of the yarn.
2. Soak the yarn in lukewarm water plus 1 tsp. Synthrapol (or detergent) for at least 1 hour. Overnight is best to ensure the yarn is fully saturated.
3. Add water to your stainless steel pan or pot. Start with enough water to keep your yarn wet and slightly floating, but not enough to fully submerge the yarn. You can always add more water. I used ~ 3 Liters for the variegated colorway and ~ 5 Liters for the tonal colorways.
4. Add citric acid or vinegar to the dye pan to achieve a pH of 3.0 – 3.5.
Note – The amount of acid required will depend on the mineral content of your water. For my tap water, I need ~ 1 TBSP / 5 L water.
Color 1 – Variegated Color
1. Add 3 skeins of yarn to the pan, positioning each skein side by side. For this colorway, you want to ensure that the yarn is not submerged in the water.
2. Heat yarn ~30 minutes. Watch the pan carefully to ensure that the water temperature does not exceed ~ 85℃ or 185℉. Do not let the yarn boil or begin to bubble and agitate. Reduce the temperature and increase the heat time if needed to avoid bubbling water.
3. Add 4 mL of 1% Pecan Brown Dye Stock Solution to 400 mL water.
4. Pour the dye solution horizontally across the yarn in two sections, creating stripes.
5. Speckle the yarn all over with Sage Green dry dye powder.Note: I speckle by pinching a small amount of dye between my thumb and forefinger in a similar fashion to adding a pinch of salt to a cooking recipe. Dharma Sage Green is a wonderful dye for speckling as it will break apart into an array of colors including blue, green, and yellow.
6. Heat ~30 minutes or until all of the speckled dye has struck the yarn. You can test this by gently dabbing an area with a paper towel or gloved hand to check for color transfer.
7. Very gently, disturb and gently mix the yarn using a pair of tongs or wooden kitchen spoon. The goal is to very carefully expose undyed areas of the yarn while not agitating the hot yarn.
8. Add 4 mL of 1% Seaspray Dye Stock Solution to 400 mL water.
9. Pour the dye solution horizontally across the yarn in four sections, creating stripes.
10. Heat ~20 minutes, taking care that your pan is not bubbling or boiling.
11. Turn the yarn over to begin working on the other side of the skeins.
12. Add 5 mL of 1% Seaspray Dye Stock Solution to 400 mL water.
13. Pour the dye solution horizontally across the yarn in four sections, creating stripes.
14. Heat until all the dye has exhausted.
15. Let cool to room temperature before rinsing.
Follow the finish part in the next blog! See you there.
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