Dyeing my own hackle

Well, I'm gonna try this. Hope it turns out for the best. Here are the details. About a month ago, I bought about 5 1/2 ft. of strung hackle from Hobby Lobby. They have it packaged as "Feather Trim", bu I have checked it, and it is the exact same stuff from here, only in a 5 1/2 foot strip. It is the natural brown color of the first one. It even has the same texture and size of some hackle my friend has. So I think I'm good to go there. I will be cutting it into about 4 inch strips to do my dyeing. I do plan on cleaning it with soap and water beforehand to remove anything they might have put on it. I will be using the kool-aid dyeing method and expierimenting with different colors. If they go well, I might try to bleach some and see if I can lighten it to have some softer colors. We'll see how my time runs. I'll be trying to keep up with this thread, and supply pictures as needed to show you guys my progress. If anyone has any suggestions, now would be the time to make them, I plan on starting on it this weekend.

Edit: Oh yeah, if this works, I'll be doing this with all of my hackle as it is only $10 for 5 1/2 feet, and I got it on sale for $5.

S.S.

Good idea!!! I have avoided those long strands just because I have heard that the color bleeds out bad.
I hope your dyeing works out well.
Are you starting with white?
ole Mike

Be careful with bleach as it might destroy the feathers. Might try a color remover instead. I have had feather bedding fall apart after bleaching it. The feathers were almost powder.

Don't forget that RIT dye is a good option too and has a better color variety than Kool-Aid. If you can find them.

fish 4 all, If I end up bleaching any of it, I'll be using the Hydrogen Peroxide/Amonia method. It won't do near as much damage to the feathers, and is safer to work with that bleach in my opinion. But that will be a little further down the road after I try to dye some of the feathers I have. and I know RIT dye works too, but with the expense of kool-aid, I'm gonna give it a try first. And to Illinoisgiller, I won't be starting with white. I'll be starting with a natural brown hackle. The color of the individual colors ranges from a cream color, to a dark tan/almost brown. I want to see how they act to dyeing before I start bleaching it to a lighter color. The reason I'd bleach it, is if I can't get quite the shade I need, or if I want a more muted color like light blue, or pink or something. I think I'm going to start with dyeing some a nice red color first. I'll be sure to take plenty of pictures and post the step by steps of how I do it. And as far as them bleeding color, if you use vinegar with the kook-aid, you shouldn't have too much trouble with them bleeding out. They might fade after a while of use in the water, but just sitting in your material bag, or a tackle box, they shouldn't....emphasis on shouldn't. That's one of the things I'll document in this thread.

Let me also warn you a bit as to the kind of hackle you are looking at. I use saddle hackle for collars and for palmering hackle (like on a Woolly Bugger), but not for jig tails. I don't like it for tails on my jigs. I use 100% Neck hackle for tails. It is too stiff and narrow for me on tails. I like long webby (just to too webby, LOL) feathers for tails.

Just a FYI,
Skip

ok a few things i do some kool aid diein myself and it works well but when yuor diein over a darker color like light brown or even a darker cream you will not get the color thats you would want even on reds and purples its ether ways darker then you would like or turns it to just a hue of the color

All the advice I've received so far is much appreciated. I know this is going to be a huge science expieriment if nothing else. I'm going to keep meticulous records of everything I do so I can know exactly what's going on. I don't plan on using these featghers for tails on jigs. They will be used mainly for wooly bugger striping, or wings on flies. It's pretty much just seeing if I can get some other colors than 5 1/2 feet of brown that I currently have. It would take me about two lifetimes to use that much brown and cream hackle I think. We'll just have to see how it all goes. If nothing else, I'll keep checking Hobby Lobby and see if they ever get in any white feather trim, then I can do whatever colors I want. We'll just have to see how it goes.

S.S.

I want to hear more about this Kool Aid dyeing. Is there a post somewhere that I missed?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SlabSniper

All the advice I've received so far is much appreciated. I know this is going to be a huge science expieriment if nothing else. I'm going to keep meticulous records of everything I do so I can know exactly what's going on. I don't plan on using these featghers for tails on jigs. They will be used mainly for wooly bugger striping, or wings on flies. It's pretty much just seeing if I can get some other colors than 5 1/2 feet of brown that I currently have. It would take me about two lifetimes to use that much brown and cream hackle I think. We'll just have to see how it all goes. If nothing else, I'll keep checking Hobby Lobby and see if they ever get in any white feather trim, then I can do whatever colors I want. We'll just have to see how it goes.

S.S.

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Should be excellent for that so go for it!

Skip