Corn Fiber is an interesting fiber. I thought” OK, it’s a vegetable fiber. I have direct dyes it will dye beautifully. ” Well here is what happened when I tried.
Before 1st Dye attempt
After dyeing with direct dyes.
As you can see the fiber took no color at all there are a few silk pieces that clung to it as it was in the dyepot together and any color it looked like it had picked up washed right out when I rinsed it.
Oh I thought well maybe because it is partially man-made it will process with the acid dyes. So back into the the dyepot it went same colorway in acid dyes.
As you can see nothing there either except it grabbed on the tussah silk a bit more and the the tussah is what is colored in this one. I was at myt wits end. So I decided to google. Turns out that corn fiber is so manufactored that it has to be dyed the same way acrylics and polyesters do with a dispersion dye. They do make dispersion dyes for the home dyer. Some dyes I’ve found are Pro Chemical and Dye or Aljo Dyes. Pro Chemical and Dyes offers a dye sampler. I think I will give it a try. I’ll post more on this in a few weeks but here is how it spun for me. The fiber itself had a plump, almost elastic type feel without any elasticity. I think it would drape quite well.
I finally started on my son’s socks he’s been begging me for the pattern is: Lucky Socks from Debbie Stoller’s book Son of Stitch and Bitch. I used Knit Picks Stroll in Firecracker Heather , Black, and Bare. Here’s what is started so far.
PS. Remember next week is another installment of the “From Llama to Shawl/Scarf Series.” Sign up for the newsletter to gain access to this instructive and entertaining video series.
Tags: animal rescue, animals rescue maine, blog train, corn, corn fiber, corn starch, dyeing, knitting, spinning, spinning corn fiber, spinning corn silk, tencel yarn, vegan spinning fiber, vegan spinning wool, vegetarian spinning fibers, wool processing
I had a bit of luck with plain old Rit dye. I was shooting for a medium brown and got a light but pretty tan. I used to turn up my nose at Rit, but now I always keep it on hand. Occasionally it can do things that the more professional dyes can’t.