How to Dye Yarn with Natural Dyes: Wool Skeins Step by Step
Dyeing wool yarn with natural dyes is one of the most rewarding projects in the dye pot. Wool takes up plant color easily and gives deep, glowing shades. But yarn also tangles, and wool can felt if you treat it roughly. This guide shows you how to dye yarn with natural dyes step by step: tying skeins, scouring gently, mordanting with alum and cream of tartar, and dyeing evenly without felting.
We keep mordanting short here. For the full method, see our guide on how to mordant protein fibers (wool and silk). Dyeing silk yarn? Read how to dye silk with natural dyes, because silk needs lower heat than wool.
What you need
- Wool yarn (not superwash, if you want to learn the classic method; superwash also dyes well, but it takes color faster)
- A stainless steel or enamel pot used only for dyeing, big enough for the yarn to move freely
- A kitchen scale and a thermometer
- Alum (potassium aluminium sulfate) and cream of tartar
- A natural dye, for example madder root powder or one of our natural dyes for wool and silk
- A pH-neutral wool wash or mild dish soap
- Cotton string or acrylic yarn for skein ties, gloves, and a long stirring rod
Step 1: Wind skeins and tie figure-8 ties
Dye in skeins, not balls. A ball dyes dark on the outside and pale in the middle. Wind the yarn into a loose skein with a niddy-noddy, a skein winder or the back of a chair.
- Tie the two loose ends together loosely.
- Add ties in at least four places around the skein.
- Make each tie a figure 8: pass the string through one half of the skein, cross over, and pass it through the other half. This keeps the strands in order but lets dye reach every part.
- Knot the ties firmly, but keep them loose around the yarn. Wool swells when wet, and a tight tie leaves a pale "resist" mark.
Tip: Use a contrasting color for ties so you can find them later. Wild Colours suggests handspun wool or silk thread, which grips well.
Step 2: Weigh the dry yarn
All amounts in natural dyeing are given as % WOF (weight of fiber). Weigh your yarn dry, before you wet it. For example, 10% WOF on 100 g of yarn is 10 g. Our natural dye WOF calculator does the math for you.
Step 3: Scour the wool gently
Scouring removes spinning oils, lanolin and dirt. Without it, mordant and dye take up unevenly. For a full guide, see how to prepare fiber and fabric for natural dyeing.
- Soak the skeins in plain warm water for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
- Dissolve a pH-neutral detergent in hot water: about 0.5–1% WOF for commercial yarn, 1–3% for greasy or raw-processed yarn.
- Add it to a pot of warm water, then add the wet skeins.
- Heat slowly to 50–60 °C (122–140 °F) and hold for 30–60 minutes. Some dyers go up to 80 °C (176 °F) for greasy yarn. Either works if you heat slowly.
- Let the water cool a little, then rinse in water of the same temperature until it runs clear.
Step 4: Mordant with alum and cream of tartar
Alum fixes most plant dyes to wool and makes colors brighter and more lightfast. Cream of tartar keeps wool soft and helps the alum take up evenly. Expert recipes range from 8% to 15% alum. Start at 10–12% alum and 6–7% cream of tartar.
| Ingredient | % WOF | For 100 g yarn |
|---|---|---|
| Alum | 10–15% (start at 10–12%) | 10–12 g |
| Cream of tartar (optional) | 6–7% | 6 g |
| Water | at least 3–4 L per 100 g | 3–4 L (about 1 US gallon) or more |
Dissolve both in hot water, add to the pot, then add the wet yarn. Heat slowly to 80–90 °C (176–194 °F) and hold for 45–60 minutes. Let it cool in the pot, ideally overnight. Rinse before dyeing. Do not use more than about 20% alum, because wool can feel sticky. Read more in our alum mordant guide and cream of tartar guide.
Tip: Cream of tartar shifts some colors. With madder it gives more orange-red. Leave it out if you want the bluest reds from madder.
How to avoid felting wool yarn
Wool fibers have tiny scales. Heat, water and movement let the scales lock together, and the yarn shrinks and mats. Research on animal fibers shows that this "directional friction effect" is the root cause, and that agitation drives it. You can stop it with three simple rules.
1. No sudden temperature changes
Never move hot wool into cold water, or cold wool into a hot pot. Add yarn to a cool or warm bath and heat it slowly. Let it cool in the pot. Rinse in water of the same temperature.
2. No agitation
Do not stir hard, squeeze, rub or wring. Lift and turn the skeins gently with a stick every 10–15 minutes. To remove water, press the yarn or roll it in a towel.
3. No hard boil
A rolling boil moves the yarn around and damages the fiber. Keep the pot at a gentle simmer or below. For most dyes, 80–90 °C (176–194 °F) is enough. Madder needs less heat (see below).
Tip: Fine merino and loosely spun yarns felt faster than firm, plied yarns. Be extra gentle with them.
Step 5: Dye the yarn evenly
- Pre-wet the yarn. Soak mordanted skeins for at least 1 hour. Dry yarn takes dye unevenly.
- Make the dye bath. Dissolve extracts in hot water first. For ground roots or bark, extract the color and strain, or put the powder in a fine mesh bag so particles do not stick to the yarn.
- Use enough water. The yarn must float and move freely. Use at least 3–4 L per 100 g of yarn. Wild Colours uses up to 10 L per 100 g for the most even results.
- Add the yarn to a cool or warm bath. Lower the skeins in gently and push them under. Air pockets cause pale spots.
- Heat slowly. Take about 30–45 minutes to reach dye temperature. Slow heating gives level color.
- Hold and turn. Hold for 45–60 minutes, turning the skeins gently every 10–15 minutes.
- Cool in the bath. Leave the yarn in the pot until it is cool, or overnight, for deeper color.
Dye rates for wool yarn
Use these starting rates on alum-mordanted wool. Lower amounts give paler shades. Weigh dye against dry yarn.
| Dye | % WOF | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Madder root powder | 50–100% | Keep below 80 °C (176 °F). Add 2–6% chalk (calcium carbonate) in soft water. |
| Madder extract | 3–10% | Same temperature rule as roots. |
| Weld extract | 0.25–3% | Bright yellow. A little chalk makes it stronger. See weld recipes. |
| Pomegranate peel powder | 20–30% | Yellow-khaki; olive with iron. |
| Black walnut hull powder | 10–100% | Browns; works without a mordant. |
| Indigo | vat dye | No alum needed. See our indigo vat guide. |
For madder, follow our full guide on how to dye with madder.
Step 6: Rinse, wash and dry
When the yarn is cool, lift it out. Rinse in water of the same temperature until the water is almost clear. Wash once in a little pH-neutral wool wash, then rinse again. Press out water in a towel. Hang the skein to dry in the shade, away from direct heat. Wait a few days before winding it into a ball.
Tip: Hang a light weight, like a clothes peg, on the bottom of the drying skein. This keeps the yarn straight but does not stretch it.
Troubleshooting
- Yarn felted or feels harsh: The temperature changed too fast, the bath boiled, or you stirred too hard. Felting cannot be undone. Next time, heat and cool slowly and turn the skeins gently.
- Pale stripes or spots: The ties were too tight, the yarn was not fully wet, or the pot was too small. Loosen ties, pre-wet longer and use more water.
- Uneven, blotchy color: The yarn was not scoured well, or you added dry powder straight to the pot. Scour again, and dissolve or strain your dye.
- Skein is tangled: Use more ties (at least four) and figure-8 ties, not simple loops. Do not swirl the yarn in the pot.
- Color washes out: The mordant was too weak, or the yarn was not rinsed after mordanting. Check your alum %, and rinse until the water runs clear.
- Madder went orange or brown: The bath was probably too hot. See our madder troubleshooting guide.
Frequently asked questions
Can I dye superwash wool with natural dyes?
Yes. Superwash wool has a coating that stops felting. It takes up dye fast, so heat slowly and keep the yarn moving gently to avoid streaks.
Do I need cream of tartar to mordant wool?
No. It is optional. It keeps wool soft and helps alum take up evenly. Use about 6–7% WOF. Leave it out if you want bluer reds from madder.
How much water do I need to dye 100 g of yarn?
Use at least 3–4 L (about 1 US gallon). More water gives more even color. The yarn should float and move freely.
Can I mordant and dye on the same day?
Yes. Let the yarn cool in the mordant bath, rinse it, and move it to the dye bath. Many dyers prefer to rest it overnight in the cooling mordant bath for better uptake.
Sources and further reading
- Wild Colours: Preparing and mordanting wool
- Botanical Colors: How to scour
- Botanical Colors: How to mordant with aluminum potassium sulfate
- Liu, X. and Wang, X. (2007). Comparative study on the felting propensity of animal fibers. Textile Research Journal, 77(12), 957–963.
Related: How to mordant wool and silk · How to dye silk with natural dyes · Natural dyes for wool and silk