Message: I used your instructions to dye feathers, and while the color was great, the appearance of the feathers was terrible! The individual fibers (I don't know what to call them of feathers) clumped together and lost their lovely, feathery appearance. I need to dye some ostrich plumes, and want to be sure this doesn't happen with them. Thanks.

Which instructions did you follow? I don't believe that I have any instructions on how to dye feathers on my site, except for one Hand Dyeing Q&A posting, "How to Dye Feathers", from February 24, 2005.

That post includes two links, one to Gina Bellous's Feather Tutorial, which uses Jacquard Acid Dyes and vinegar, and PRO Chemical & Dye's instructions for "Staining Silk Flowers and Feathers using PRO WashFast Water-Based Dyes".

Did you have problems with those instructions, or with my instructions on how to dye cotton? Cotton is very different from feathers. Cotton is made of cellulose, while feathers are made of protein. Feathers are dyed with acid dyes, at a low pH, entirely unlike cotton, which is best dyed with fiber reactive dyes and soda ash. The high pH of soda ash is likely to be too rough for feathers.

It certainly is possible to dye feathers without ruining them—this is very popular among fly fishermen—but first you need the right instructions.