Name: therese
Message: hi! i was wondering if i could dye a shawl that i have. it's a half acrylic, half wool blend. would that work, to dye it black, for example? and which dye could i use?

You can dye the wool portion of the blend. A number of people say that the best black dye for wool is the Lanaset black. Lanaset dyes are also sold under the names Telana and Sabraset. One of the retailers that sells this type of dye is Pro Chemical and Dye, or try a web search. Wool can also be dyed with acid dyes, but the Lanaset/Sabraset/Telana black is the most satisfactory of the blacks for use on wool and other animal fibers.

Dyeing the wool but not the acrylic will most likely result in a heathered effect.

I would advise you not to try to dye the acrylic portion of the shawl. Ordinary dyes will have no effect. Disperse dyes will dye acrylic only pale colors, not deep shades, and are not suitable for the novice dyer. Basic dyes will work on acrylic, but they are among the dyes I used to damage DNA in my graduate studies; I do not consider them safe enough for use at home. They are also a huge mess, as they may permanently dye everything they contact, such as your dyeing pans, countertop, floor, etc. It's probably best to just go with the heathered effect you will get by dyeing the wool portion of this blend.