Dyeing Sheepskin Wool
I have a love of natural-in fact, it's been my life dream to have a house with only (ethically sourced) organic, natural, or REAL textiles in my house. Handmade is the way to go, but unfortunately in our American culture of polyesters and IKEAs etc., it's hard to find true wool or rubber or leather that is in the price range many of us can afford. So, when we find something as awesome while thrifting or milling about in secondhand stores, we get giddy... Very giddy.
I had found this rug for sale (like 7x6ft) 100% wool flokati rug for $40, so I did what any other self-respecting impulse buyer would do - I bought it. Not necessarily in wonderful shape, but definitely well kept. That was about years ago. I have a dog, a cat, and many other animals it has survived through. So, I attempted to wash it. The darned thing did not fit in my washer. Granted, I had nearly expected this. So I had washed it outside, and let it dry. (I know, sun and wool are not best friends. But I have a demanding job, and am tired.. Or I'm just lazy, take your pick.)
Even after multiple washes it was still slightly grey at the base of the fur instead of being a nice beige color all around. I almost bought a new rug, because I was so tired of cleaning a dingy rug with no improvement. Then, I had thought why not dye the darned thing? So after Pinteresting my way through nice colors I had come upon mint or green/blue. Seeing as how there can be any drastic outcome with home dyeing, I had zero expectations when I started out.
This is how the rug looked before and after. Very different!
I had used the brand Rit, and since it was such a large piece, I used 3 bottles on the one rug. Yes, my tub is pink. Not my decision.
I had wanted a color variant between green and olive green, so I had used two bottles "Dark Olive Green", and one "Kelly Green" bottle. Above shows the exact bottles. To the left and below is during the bravery that is tub-dyeing.
A lot of it was just letting it sit. It looks SO much darker in the tub, and the liquid dye was as black as my soul while it was curing. It had to sit from anywhere between 30-60 minutes. I opted for the latter from the sheer size, and the fact that it was wool.
Be sure to add vinegar to natural fabrics like wool, since it's difficult to take stain well. I had used gloves, but it ended up getting the dye water in my glove, so I had a bit of a bluish hand at the end of the excursion. Just wash it well, it comes off with a little scrubbing..
Like I had mentioned, I had no expectations before starting out. I half expected it to turn out black. Here is a picture while it' drying. Overall, I've had a few compliments on it. When I showed them the before and that I had dyed it myself, they were surprised. So I think it was a success!
