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Hemp Top – Soft Fruit
$7.75 – $31.67
100% Hemp fibre.
On hemp this colourway comes out a gorgeous deep wine red/burgundy shade.
PRODUCT of ITALY
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Fine Merino – Wine Red
100% fine 19-micron Merino wool. Beautiful and clean combed top.
Deep mulberry or plum-wine red, not quite burgundy.
PRODUCT of ITALY, from Dyeing House Gallery.

Cochineal, Whole
Whole dried insects.
A scale insect native to Mexico/Central America that feeds exclusively on prickly-pear cactus. Cochineal is a very common source of red food colour with a long historical use. No mordant is required although they will extend the colour range in interesting ways. Use at 3-10% WOF for medium, 10-20% WOF for strong shades. Cochineal is expensive but very generous and can easily give 8 or more successive dips from the same dyebath. Have plenty of fibre ready and waiting!
TO USE: grind finely in a coffee grinder (Cochineal is non-toxic but may stain your next pot of coffee). Soak overnight in cold water with 5% Cream of Tartar to WOF. Simmer 15 minutes, cool and strain -- we find a sieve lined with moist paper towel does the trick. Return to pot, add more water if necessary then enter the fibre and simmer for 35 to 45 minutes.
Light/washfastness: excellent

Fine Merino – Soft Fruit
100% fine 19-micron Merino wool. Beautiful and clean combed top.
A rich burgundy-red, brighter and cheerier than Wine Red. Reminds us of crushed blackberries.
PRODUCT of ITALY, from Dyeing House Gallery.

Corriedale Chili Pepper
Vibrant chili-pepper or tomato, leaning either towards scarlet or red, depending on what you combine it with. Dyed 30 micron Corriedale wool top from Ashford of New Zealand.
$5.50 – $42.45 $4.13 – $31.84