the dropped spindle

natalie · Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2006 11:36 am Post subject: Not kemtex.

Well I bought kemtex dyes, as you know.
I don't like them.
I found they gave patchy results on the yarn I was using, whether I soaked for 2 hours or 2 days. Some colours were patchy, some were saturated for the same concentration of dye stock solution.
I ended up overdyeing some of the yarn 3 times to get a good result, so that's 3 lots of dyeing, cooking, rinsing and drying. All the yarn looked fine in the end, and I did get pretty colours, but at triple the work.
I spoke to them and they were very helpful, we talked about the pH of the water supply, the setting time, the mixing method, the acidification, and the fact that some of them take different concentrations for the same saturation.
I spoke to twistfibrecraft who were really helpful too, and also couldn't work out what wasn't right.
I have now given up.
It reached the stage yesterday I wanted to dye some new colourways, and I didn't do it because I couldn't face the prospect of an unpredictable result. I don't mind unpredictability if that's what I'm looking for, so to speak, but when I want ten skeins the same, and am not sure I'll get it, then the dye is getting in the way of the dyeing.
So I have parcelled them up and sent them back (they offered to let me do this without me asking, so their customer care is excellent, in my opinion).
And I've ordered Ashford dyes again, and suddenly October is looking like a much more colourful prospect.
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cledry yarner · Joined: 29 Jun 2006 Posts: 176

Isn't it strange - I prefer kemtex dyes to anyone else. Nice of them to take them back, wish I could've taken off your hands but dosh is not something in abundance in the cledry household right now Sad

Don't forget to come up for air when the ashford dyes arrive Laughing

natalie · Posted: Fri Oct 20, 2006 4:04 pm Post subject:

It was particular colours, the pink, which as you'll have gathered I had plans for +++, and the violet. I might yet use their red because it was fine.... in fact if you have extra red lying around, maybe we could barter for it.

n

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www.theyarnyard.co.uk