Yarn comes in many formats: cones, balls, a big mess (if your cat got into it)!

To be ready for dyeing, yarn needs to be prepared. Here are the steps:

Step 1: Wind from ball or cone into hanks

Slip the yarn onto a swift, niddy noddy, or around the back of a chair or stool legs so you can wind it into a big loop (a hank) instead of a tight ball.​​

Wind steadily and not too tight; you want a plump, relaxed circle of yarn that can move freely in the dye bath without tangling.​

Step 2: Tie the hank to prevent tangles

Once the yarn is all wound, secure the loop with several figure‑8 ties using scrap cotton or the same yarn, spaced around the circle (at least 3–4 ties per hank).​

Make the ties snug enough to keep strands together but loose enough that dye can reach between them; overly tight ties will leave pale or undyed patches.​

Step 3: Scour (deep clean) if needed

If your yarn came on a cone or feels waxy, stiff, or oily, give it a scour to remove spinning oils and finishes so color takes evenly.​

For wool, use a mild wool wash or a small amount of detergent in warm water; for cellulose fibers, follow a scour recipe with a bit of soda ash and specialized scour, heating gently and rinsing well afterward.​​

Step 4: Pre‑soak the hanks

Place the clean hanks in cool to lukewarm water (with vinegar if you’re doing acid dyes for protein fibers) and let them soak until they are fully saturated and no bubbles rise when you squeeze them.​

This pre‑soak helps the dye travel into the center of the yarn, giving more even coverage and reducing white spots or streaking.​

Step 5: Prepare for Pre-Mordanting or Dyeing

Gently squeeze out excess water so the hanks are damp, not dripping, then lay them ready beside your dye pot, using the ties or a shower curtain ring as a “handle” to move them without tangling.​

Check that the ties are still in place and not cutting into the yarn; adjust if needed, and you’re ready to start applying your chosen dye.​

Different fibers like to be cleaned and soaked a little differently, but the overall rhythm is: scour (deep clean), rinse, then presoak before pre-mordanting or dyeing.​

Wool and other protein yarns

Fill a pot or basin with warm water and add a small amount of wool wash or a gentle detergent; the water should feel pleasantly warm, not hot.​

Gently place your hanks in the water, press them under the surface, and let them sit 15–30 minutes so oils and dirt loosen without agitation.​

Carefully lift the yarn out, drain, and rinse in water about the same temperature until the water runs clear, then let it cool slightly.​

For presoak before dye, put the clean yarn in room‑temperature to warm water with your acid (like vinegar or citric acid if using acid dyes) and soak at least 30 minutes until fully saturated.​

Cotton, linen, and other plant fibers

In a non‑reactive pot, mix room‑temperature water with a small dose of cellulose scour or mild detergent plus a little dissolved soda ash, following the package percentages for your yarn weight.​

Add pre‑wetted hanks, then heat slowly up to just below a simmer (around 80–82 °C / 176–180 °F) and hold 30 minutes, stirring gently so every part sees the hot scouring bath.​

Remove the yarn, rinse thoroughly in cool water until the water is clear and the yarn no longer feels slick, then let it rest.​​

For presoak before dye, use a separate bucket with warm water and an alkaline presoak (often more soda ash in water) and soak plant fibers about 15–30 minutes so they are fully wetted and at the right pH.​

Silk yarn and fabrics

If the silk feels very stiff, gummy, or “raw,” prepare a warm water bath with a small amount of gentle detergent or a dedicated silk scour product.​

Place the silk in and warm it to about 70–80 °C (below a simmer), holding it there up to 30 minutes with minimal movement so you don’t roughen the fiber.​

Rinse in lukewarm, then cool water until clear, handling gently to avoid creasing lines.​

For presoak, put the clean silk in room‑temperature water with a little acid if you’re using acid dyes and let it sit at least 30 minutes until it is evenly saturated but not stressed by heat.​

General presoaking tips

Always wet the yarn out in clean water (with detergent, acid, or soda ash as appropriate) long enough that bubbles stop rising when you squeeze it; this shows it is fully saturated.​

Keep skeins loosely tied and avoid rough stirring so you don’t felt wool or tangle anything; think gentle presses and slow lifting rather than vigorous swishing.​