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How to Dye Tibetan Lamb or Mohair with Rit Dye
Within the doll community there is a tendency to use the term "Mohair" when actually referring to the fur known as Tibetan Lamb. In the interest of people searching this topic, I have included the term Mohair so the tutorial can be located by those in need of instruction.
Regarding Tibetan Lamb versus Mohair. The fur comes from two different animals and is sold in different forms. Tibetan Lamb fur is always sold on the skin- attached to it- and you have to cut it off to use it. Mohair and other sheep's locks are sold loose as they are sheared from the animal. This tutorial deals with Tibetan Lamb only at this time.
There are several ways you can dye Tibetan lamb at home. Personally, as I sell Tibetan Lamb for Doll Hair and Doll Wigs, I ONLY use professional acid dyes as I want the very best products used in my fiber art. Therefore you will never find my lambskin and wool locks dyed with Rit, although many fiber artists do chose to use it.
The tutorial below was written in 2008. The photos below were taken by me before I started custom dying Tibetan Lamb and other natural fibers for use in my custom doll wigs. I no longer use Rit on my products, but that doesn't mean you can't use this easy and cheap method for your own personal projects.
Tutorial from 2008:
This easy fur dying method requires the use of Rit dye. You will need a box of Rit, white vinegar and a pot to heat up the dye bath. You will never be able to use ANY utensil that you have used with Rit dye for food ever again, so use only dedicated supplies. I usually start with snow white mohair, but some interesting effects can be created by layering color over other natural shades of lamb fur.
To prepare the Tibetan Lamb for dying you need to have the piece cut to the size you want. Always cut the fur with a razor blade ( exacto knife) on the skin side. Do NOT use scissors when cutting Tibetan Lambskin. Slice gently through the skin side of the piece just enough to part the skin and not to cut the hair on the other side.
Once your fur is cut you have to presoak it. Place your fur in a bowl of warm, but not hot, water with a splash of white vinegar. Leave it soak for thirty minutes or so. This allows the fibers to open up and accept the dye more readily.
You may want to wear rubber gloves when using dye so your hands don't get all colorful. :) Also, line your counter tops with newpaper or plastic sheeting. Bleach will remove dye stains but why go through all that.
I use a large stainless steel pot that I reserve just for dying Tibetan Lambskin. The amount of dye and the amount of water will vary depending on the depth of color you are trying to achieve. Lighter shades would use more water and lesser amounts of dye. Deeper shades require a more concentrated solution. I put my water in the pot and bring it to a low simmer, add the dye, stir to dissolve it and turn off the heat. You do not want the dye bath to be boiling, just very hot. You MUST add a good splash of white vinegar to the dye bath. This is what sets the color.
Once the Tibetan Lamb / Mohair has soaked long enough you can remove it from the warm water bath.
The lambskin / mohair can now be added to the dye bath. Again, depending on the depth of color you want, determines how long you leave the piece in the color. If I want a very slight tint of color, I will literally dip it in and pull it right back out. Usually though, I leave the piece in for about 3 - 5 minutes only. The fur absorbs the color very quickly when it is pre-wet. Ten minutes would be the longest I would leave it in. Remember, wet Tibetan Lamb fur / mohair is going to look a lot darker than when it is dry, so your final color may be much lighter. You can always re-dye it darker if need be.
Once the hair has achieved the color desired, remove it from the dye. If Tibetan Lambskin is left in hot water for too long you will find that the leather shrinks. It can be reshaped somewhat while it is wet if this is an issue for you. I once shrunk a 4 x 6 " piece of Tibetan Lambskin down to a 2 x 2 " piece. The amount of fur remains the same, just the leather is smaller in size.
Rinse the Tibetan Lamb / mohair under warm water until all the water runs clear. Then, I add a little shampoo and gently wash the piece again, and rinse thoroughly. I then lay the Tibetan lamb fur / mohair over the shower rod to drip dry. It usually takes a day to dry, as the skin holds the moisture. Rolling it up in a towel can help blot out some of the water.
Once the Tibetan Lamb fur / mohair is dry, you can use it as you see fit. I have not had any problems with using Rit dyed mohair on any 16" doll, but have had a few instances of the dye staining the vinyl on Barbie dolls. The Ellowyne below is wearing pink mohair that I dyed with Rit pink.
Tibetan Lambskin / Mohair for sale
Have fun!
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