Uldens Hus 2

In December 2023, Uldens Hus in Tversted gets its own spinning mill, where we will spin yarn of wool from local sheep.
The sheep belongs to sheep breeder and groomer Kasper Ledet Hansen who has about 400 mother sheep that maintains fields and nature around Tversted. Kasper’s sheep are of mixed breeds, but he is working on refining the wool with the breed Romney.
To investigate which qualities, we could make with the wool, a portion was shipped to England where is has been washed and spun. We had two different weights of yarn spun, and with 70 % lambswool it was even finer and softer that we had expected.

First, you must ensure that your skein of yarn is kept in place with loose binding threads, making sure that the yarn does not tangles during dyeing (thread of wool, cotton or bast or fishing line is typically used).

Most plants that are used for plant dyeing does have the ability to itself to adhere to the yarn and need help to get the process started before the actual dyeing. Therefore, the yarn must be mordant to help the yarn fibers to open.

Mordant bath

The yarn is soaked in lukewarm water, until it is completely soaked.

You need to use 20 grams of alum and 5 liters of water per 100 grams of yarn.

Pour water into a pot, measure the alum in a little cup and dilute it in warm water.

Add the diluted alum to the pot while stirring thoroughly.

Make an incremental bath:

Place your yarn in a bucket with 30 degrees °C warm water, then transfer the yarn to a bucket of 60 degrees °C warm water and lastly to the pot with 85 degrees °C warm water.

Move the yarn around the 85 degrees °C pot of water frequently for the next hour.

Make an incremental bath the other way around; 85°C, 60°C, 30°C.

Airdry the yarn.

Plant dyeing

For 100 grams of yarn, you will use 400 grams of fresh plant material or 200 grams of dried plant material and 5 liters of water.

The plant material is separated and put in the pot with water. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer for a least an hour. Turn of the pot and let it cool down. Now the plant material is sifted from the liquid, and you are ready to dye the yarn.

Make an incremental bath, place the yarn in the sifted liquid.

Leave it at this temperature for a least an hour.

Make an incremental bath the other way around and airdry the yarn.

Plant suggestions:
Sorrel, Oak, Nettles, Common Horsetail, Sea Buckthorn, Birch, Privet, Ground Elder, Norway Spruce, Lady’s Bedstraw, Horse Chestnut, Alder, Common Reed, Scotch Broom, Yellow Onion skins.