As a spinner and weaver, "dyed in the wool" definitely refers to wool dyed before being spun into yarn. "Yarn dyed" in woven fabrics refers to a stripe, check or plaid produced by using different colored yarns/threads that were dyed before weaving, as opposed to printed on the fabric surface.
I hope the OP has enough yardage for sampling, because this is a prime case for it! I would dye swatches. Use cellulosic dye, acid dye (for protein) and something like Rit. And do all of them in several colors and strengths. Rit can be done successfully if you follow the directions closely and monitor the fabric throughout the process. It is also lightfast and wash fast in most colors (as much as any other dye) if the directions are followed carefully and the article is rinsed thoroughly. You might want to talk to a natural dyer and see about doing some samples in a natural dye bath - depending on what color you want in the end. The other factor is to determine if the linen/wool blend is the result of alternating yarns in the weave, or if it's a true blend of linen and wool fibers in the yarn that is uniform across the entire product. Each will give a slightly different look when dyed. Denise B Iowa _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
