Space dyeing rovings

DEFINITIONS

“SPACE DYEING is a technique used to give yarn a unique, multi-colored effect. While a typical skein of yarn is the same color throughout, a skein of space dyed yarn is two or more different colors that typically repeat themselves throughout the length of the yarn.”

“A ROVING is a piece of fibre which has been combed, drawn into a clump, and then twisted slightly to hold the fibers together and to prepare them for spinning and/or felting. SLIVER and TOP have a similar meaning to rovings.”

After confessing to Jude about taking a tiny piece of her space dyed roving ( and spinning it ) I received a slight dressing down, and then she agreed to try and replicate the same colours in some of the commercially spun alpaca fibre.

 

The end result of the furtive spinning of pilfered roving. A tiny piece of roving goes a long way.

 

Judy, the master dyer at TAFE, at work.

The alpaca yarn soaking in hot water.

The first addition – black.

The second addition – red.

The third addition – yellow.

Just a slight stir to meld the colours.

Let it simmer gently until the water runs clear which means all the dye has been attached to the fibres.

Almost the end result. It was decided that it needed a bit more oomph so it was returned to the pot with a little more black dye.

Still to take the photograph of the finished product.