About our acid dyes
Here at DT Craft & Design we have carefully selected our Hue & Dye acid dyes for reliability, richness and vibrancy of colour, ease of use and value.
Debbie has been a hand-dyer for over 25 years and in that time has honed our dye range to give a huge palette of colours using the available range. From intense, deep shades through to delicate pastels; pure spectrum colours to soft, muted shades – the world is your rainbow!
How can I use acid dyes?
You can use Hue & Dye acid dyes for a wide range of techniques:
- Ombres and fades
- Dip-dye
- Veil dyeing
- Speckles
- Handpaints
- Solid colour (immersion)
- Low-water immersion and more!
Acid dyes can also be thickened with manutex for printing on silk and protein fibres.
What are acid dyes?
Our acid dyes are ‘milling’ dyes. These provide an excellent balance between colour range, adaptability to different fibres, colour, wash and lightfastness. Acid dyes are very easy to use requiring only heat and a mild acid to fix (we use citric acid but you can also use vinegar). You can heat in the microwave, oven, on the hob, in a steamer, bain marie or crockpot, slow cooker or even solar dyeing. Just make sure any pots and utensils are kept for dyeing use.
Dyeing with acid dyes is fun, easy and satisfying and you can produce amazing results from your very first skein in just a couple of hours!
How much dye will I need?
We recommend using the following quantities:
1g dye will dye 100g dry weight of fibre (yarn/fleece etc.) to a medium colour
0.1g dye is perfect for pastels
2-4g dye is ideal for deeper shades (4g for black and the richest reds).
Use 10g citric acid (or 1ml vinegar) per 100g dry weight of fibre
We supply our acid dyes with a simple instruction leaflet but please ask if you have any questions!
You may also like:
If you are looking for an ideal gift for a beginner you might like to have a look at our acid dye starter kit or our acid dye deluxe kit. These kits contain all you need to get started and include a booklet specially written as an introduction to dyeing for beginners.
Our high quality dyes are supplied in sturdy, screwtop pots. Wide neck allows easy access and ensures minimal waste. Colours are fully blendable and produce pastels through deep shades.
What can I dye with acid dyes?
Acid dyes are suitable for: Protein (animal) fibres like wool, alpaca, cashmere, silk and nylon. They can be used on yarns, fibres, fleeces, silk hankies & caps, wool-felt.
What else do I need?
In addition to your dyes you will need:
- Citric acid or vinegar to fix and make the dyes colour and washfast.
- A heat source: You can dye in an old pan on the stove, in a pyrex in the oven, in an old crockpot (slow cooker), in a microwave or an old steamer.
Basic utensils:
- Measuring jug
- Measuring spoon
- Beakers for mixing dyes
- Stirrers
Please note: Any pans and utensils should not be used for food if they have been used for dyeing.