Citric Acid and Food Coloring for Dyeing

[deneen]

Has anyone used citric acid with food coloring for dyeing wool? Kool-Aid has CA in it already and you really don't need to add vinegar, but I do anyway. I found some citric acid in my bath supplies and wondered if I could use this with the food coloring instead of vinegar. I did a search and can't find anything. Anyone have any ideas or sites?

[nataleeza]

We use vinegar (acetic acid) to turn the dye into a type of acid dye. The vinegar makes it set.

 

I'm sure you could use citric acid, but I wouldn't know how acidic it is compared to vinegar. Especially since the citric acid is in a dry form, and the vinegar is a weak solution.

 

You could always give it a go, and if you really wanted to make it the same, you could use some Ph indicator paper to compare how much you need of each for the same acidity.

 

Let us know how you go! I'm not that fond of the smell of wet, vinegary sheep

[natalie058]

I don't see why it wouldn't work!! Plus, a good thing about citric acid is that even if you do use more than is neccessary, it's still weak enough that it's not going to ruin your fibres. I mean, there can't be very much in Kool-Aid, since the whole packet is probably less than a tablespoon's worth of powder... I think I would start with maybe a teaspoon or so per cup liquid...

 

The pH strips that Natalie mentioned are pretty accurate though, if you want to get very close. What a great idea!

[deneen]

I wrote to Rissa and she wrote back to let me know one tablespoon of citric acid equals one cup of vinegar, now to break that down..............

[nataleeza]

one tablespoon of citric acid equals one cup of vinegar

excellent info! I tried googling for something like that, but couldn't find anything. I think that would actually work out cheaper for me than vinegar, it's smaller to carry home, and it'd stop my house smelling so vinegary...

 

Cool!

[deneen]

I am not sure if I liked using the citric acid. I mixed 2 8 ounce cups with warm water, the appropriate number of food coloring drops and 1/4 tsp of citric acid. First off, the color didn't look right, like it washed out the red drops I used. When I poured it on to the presoaked wool, the color instantly went on the wool and the water was clear around it, before heating. I had to make 3 times the amount of dye bath. I am heating it now, but the color isn't purple it's blue even though I added pink. I was so freaked by the instant absorption of color too. I am using a natural heather merino wool.

 

This is all the same "dye lot", but because of the citric acid, it pooled strangely.

 

[nataleeza]

I see, that is weird.

 

Could the bath have been more acidic? I recall reading that the more vinegar you use, the quicker the dye takes which could explain it.

 

I was going to get some citric acid today to dye some handspun (I already did some with vinegar and it turned out great) but I guess I'll use some spare commercial I have to try it first. I'd hate for my precious handspun to not turn out how I want it to

[nataleeza]

But then, it could be quite a cool effect to have in my repetoire!

 

Like when you want it to be kind of blotchy like that. I think roving dyed like that would spin up quite nicely... *scratches chin* yes, I think I'll give that a try

[deneen]

But then, it could be quite a cool effect to have in my repetoire!

 

Like when you want it to be kind of blotchy like that. I think roving dyed like that would spin up quite nicely... *scratches chin* yes, I think I'll give that a try

 

natalie-

 

I tried to make purple with red and blue and the red would not work right with the citric acid. The color is a deep, deep blue, lighter blue and that's it. Not a lick of purple in it. I even made more dye and all it did was make the dark blue darker. I also have to say the minute I poured the dye onto the wool, it absorbed immediately and all that was left was clear liquid before heating it. I still nuked it, but it did freak me out. It's not a bad color, just not what I wanted. I think red is snarky with dyeing anyway-next time I know, no reds!

[nataleeza]

Oh, I see. weird.

 

Looks I'm stuck with a house that smells of vinegary, wet sheep!! (actually, I'm beginning to get used to it)