Not Quite Freestyle (NQF)
How to dye an Ikea sheepskin in the washing machine
The cat is a pampered cat, as befits his status as undisputed apartment ruler. As he has demonstrated a fondness for fleecy and wooly things, his human servants thought he would appreciate a sheepskin. The human acquired a RENS sheepskin from Ikea for the cost of approximately some-amount-that-the-cat-doesn't-care-about.
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| Tag on back of Ikea sheepskin |
Upon close inspection the cat commented that he didn't think the sheepskin coordinated properly with his eyes, so we decided to dye it purple as befits his royal majesty.
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| Inspection 1. |
This was pretty simple, fill the washing machine with dye and hot water, but pause the wash cycle before it agitates. Put the sheepskin in, and swish it around with a stick every once in a while. While wearing gloves, pull it out to look if the color is getting any darker.
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| In-progress view |
After a good bit of siting in the washing machine (maybe 2 hours), add some gentle soap, close the lid, and let the gentle wash cycle continue.
Once the washing machine cycle is done, DO NOT PUT THE SHEEPSKIN IN THE DRYER. Instead, place it somewhere it can fully air dry, like on top of a bucket inside a bathtub. Wait for the sheepskin to air dry, this could take a while depending on the humidity level.
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| Drying time |
After the sheepskin has dried, fluff the wool generously, then present it to his royal majesty for final inspection.
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| Satisfaction |
Conclusion
With its new purple wool the sheepskin passed inspection, and the sheepskin was granted a charter bestowing upon it the royal cat-nap privileges in perpetuity.
After completion of this project, the humans ran an empty load in the washing machine to flush out any remnant dye, and all was well in the land.