 Dying and CombingMohair
Purchase white clean premium mohair. Because mohair is a very fine hair it tangles easily. If it has been lightly combed half the work is done.
Bring a tea kettle of water to a boil. I use Jacquard dye. After adding the dye to the boiling water in a glass bowl add 1/4 cup of white vinegar. The vinegar sets the dye into the fiber. The bowl must be covered. Leave it for around 20 minutes. Take the cover off. If the dye water is very translucent then the dye has exhausted. That is a good sign.Drain the dye bath.
Rinsing: Half fill the sink with luke warm water. Add a a teasp. of a very mild soap. I love Eucalan. I also love the eucalyptus one. It is very mild for delicate fibers. I leave it in the rinse water for around 20 minutes. You will see some of the excess dye has leached out of the fiber.
Final rinse- it is then rinsed in warm water with a salon conditioner. You only need a tablespoon or so. Leave in conditioning water for approx. 10-15 minutes.Drain and blot on a towel. This will also help you test for any bleeding. (If there is bleeding repeat the rinsing process once again.) Let dry.
With a metal nit comb. (found in a pharmacy). Lightly comb the mohair. I like to lightly mist with a hydrating leave in conditioner. If you store your prepared mohair please remember to leave the top of the bag open. Mohair,Wool and Alpaca all need to breath. In fact it is a good idea to open the bags of fiber you purchase and let a little air get to them.
Combing Mohair
1). Take a lock at a time in you left hand. (if you are right handed). Mist lightly with a leave-in conditioner. And with the wide teeth on a nit comb comb in little short gentle bouncing motion from the top of the lock to the bottom. Do not just rake and rip down through the lock. Mohair is a delicate fiber that snarls easily. Raking through it damages the fiber. After you have combed through with the wide teeth you may want to very lightly comb back through with the finer teeth. Again never force the comb through it. It does take time and patience. But so worth it.
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