Welcome back to Rebel Stitchers! In today’s video, I dive into the world of purple acid dyes using a low immersion dyeing method on Gulf Coast Native wool roving.
As a proud member of the Shave ‘Em to Save ‘Em program, I’m passionate about raising awareness for endangered sheep breeds and supporting their revival. This swatching experiment not only helps me get to know these beautiful dyes but also showcases the stunning wool from this rare breed.
Swatching Purple Acid Dyes - The Dyes I Tested:
I used four different purple acid dyes for this swatching session:
Ashford Purple: https://www.ashford.co.nz/product-category/dyeing/dyes/
Dharma Plum Dandy: https://www.dharmatrading.com/dyes/dharma-acid-dyes.html
Jacquard Lilac: https://amzn.to/4fEpw8X
Jacquard Periwinkle: https://amzn.to/46zCBwh
Low Immersion Dyeing with Dry Dye Powders
For this project, I used a low immersion dyeing technique with dry dye powders. This method allowed me to control the intensity and layering of the colors on the wool. One key part of working with dry dye powders is safety, so I wore my respirator, gloves, and safety glasses to protect myself from inhaling the fine particles. I also made sure to use dye-specific tools, pans, and equipment that I reserve exclusively for fiber dyeing—these items are never used for food preparation. You can find all of my favorite dying equipment here.
Why Gulf Coast Native Wool?
As part of the Shave ‘Em to Save ‘Em initiative, I’m committed to working with rare sheep breeds, and Gulf Coast Native is one of the endangered breeds. By using their wool in my projects, I’m not only exploring the beauty of their fiber but also supporting efforts to build their populations back up.
What I Learned from Swatching
Swatching these purple acid dyes was a great way to observe how each color behaves, how well they exhaust, and to get a feel for their overall appearance on the Gulf Coast Native wool roving. Here are some of my key takeaways:
Ashford Purple gave a deep, rich hue with excellent exhaustion. It is definitely a more pink hued purple than the rest
Dharma Plum Dandy produced a vibrant, jewel-toned purple that stood out on the roving. It is a maroon hued purple and gorgeous!
Jacquard Lilac offered a soft purple that is wonderful using in lower depth of shades (DOS)s to produce a pastel color
Jacquard Periwinkle had a cool undertone, creating a beautiful contrast with the other dyes.
Why Swatching Is Important
Swatching dyes before tackling a big project is essential for any fiber artist. It allows you to:
Understand dye behavior: How does the dye interact with the wool? Does it absorb quickly, or take time to exhaust?
Replicate colorways: Swatching helps you document your dyeing process, making it easier to recreate colors in future projects.
Explore new techniques: Trying out different methods, like low immersion dyeing, gives you the freedom to experiment with color intensity and blending.
Conclusion
If you’re a fiber artist, spinner, or dyer interested in acid dyeing or supporting endangered sheep breeds, this video is for you! You’ll get to see how these stunning purple shades from Ashford, Dharma, and Jacquard turn out on Gulf Coast Native wool roving using a low immersion technique.
Check out the full video to learn more about my dyeing process and the importance of using the right safety gear when working with dry dye powders. And don’t forget to support programs like Shave ‘Em to Save ‘Em to help preserve these rare and beautiful sheep breeds.
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