121. To make Solutions for Dyeing

121.    To make Solutions for Dyeing. In making solutions of copperas, blue stone, chrome, etc.., there is no fixed rule to be followed. A quantity of the crystals are put into a vessel, and boiling water poured upon them and stirred until dissolved. Some salts require less water than others when saturated solutions are wanted; but in the dye-house saturation is not essential, and therefore there is always used ample water to dissolve the salt. In all cases, however, the proportions are known, so that the operator, when adding a gallon, or any other quantity of liquor to the dye-bath, knows how much salt that portion contains. From 1/2 to 1 pound per gallon is a common quantity.

122. To Prepare Cotton Tarn for Dyeing

122.    To Prepare Cotton Tarn for Dyeing. Cotton yarn, when spun, is put up in hanks, a certain number of which combined constitute a head ; the number of hanks ranging from 6 to 20, according as the fineness of the yarn varies from very coarse to very fine. Sufficient of these heads are tied together, or banded with stout twine into a bundle, to make 10 pounds.

After banding, the cotton is boiled in water for 2 or 3 hours until thoroughly wet. The bundles are then loosed, and each roll of yarn is put on a wooden pin, about 3 feet long and 11/2 inches thick, 4 or 6 pins making a bundle. The yarn is now ready for dyeing dark colors; but for light shades, it must be bleached previous to dyeing. The bleaching is performed thus:

123. To Bleach, Cotton Yarn

123.    To Bleach, Cotton Yarn. A vessel sufficiently large to allow of the yarn being worked in it freely without pressing, is to be two-thirds filled with boiling water; add 1 pint bleaching liquor (see No. 104 (To Make Bleaching Liquor)) to every gallon of water in the vessel, and work the yarn in this for half an hour. Into another vessel of similar size, two-thirds filled with cold water, add one wine-glassful sulphuric acid for every 2 gallons water; stir well, and then put the yarn from the bleaching solution into this, and work for 10 minutes; then wash out until all the acid is removed. This will bleach the yarn for dyeing any light shade.

124. To Prepare Cotton Cloth for Dyeing

124.    To Prepare Cotton Cloth for Dyeing. The cloth is taken out of the fold, and hanked up by the hand, taking the end through the hank and tying it loosely, technically termed kinching; it is then steeped over night in old alkaline lye, which loosens and removes the oil, grease and dressing which it has obtained in weaving; it is then thoroughly rinsed in clean water. "Where there is a dash-wheel, it should be used for this washing. In consequence of the liquor often fermenting with the paste in the cloth, this process has been technically termed the rot steep.

If the cloth is to be dyed a dark color, no further preparation is needed; but if light, the cloth has to be bleached as follows: