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For artists and collectors sponsored by Intercal...your mohair supplier and Johnna's Mohair Store
Chaska, MinnesotaHello Teddy Bear Friends: I know some people wash their mohair befor making a bear. Is this something that helps hold the color when shading? What advantage is it to wash the mohair?
Hi Michelle,
I don't often wash mohair, but I do sometimes spray it until damp and then fluff it in the dryer with some clean towels. (Give it a light brushing afterwards.) This is helpful when the pile has gotten smashed down, and also if you have string mohair that you want to fluff up.
Becky
Chaska, MinnesotaThank you Becky. Your tip about fluffing the mohair with water is a good one. I never wash my mohair and wonder if by not doing that will my shading of my bears fade?
I've never heard of a connection between washing and fading ( or not fading), Michelle. What are you using to shade?
Becky
I always pre 'wash' the area I am shading on mohair, this was a tip I picked on here from Jenny Johnson and find it works well. When I say wash I mean damp down the area with a clean cloth dipped in warm water that has a tiny amount of detergent in it, then repeat the process with just clean water and leave to dry a bit, then shade. I just find that it takes the colour better I wouldn't think that colour would fade if you didn't wash first I would think that is down to the permanence of the colour you are using? I sometimes wash mohair (with Woolite and a fabric softener) to soften up a cotton backing or fluff the fur up if it looks a bit crushed and of will always wash before dying. Do what suits you Michelle if your shading works great without then carry on 
michelle
I use the detergent as a wetting agent. The mohair will naturally be resistant to the shading, or the dye as it , like human hair cannot be easily wetted with water alone, due to natural oils. There are wetting agents and mediums on the market to prepare fabric for painting and staining but they are simply detergents ..so two drops in a jar of warm water works...I mix my paints with it...I use everything..acrylics...water colours...pastels...pens ...even Landscape dyes in very concentrated amounts .
I just wipe the excess away with warm water
Chaska, MinnesotaThank you all for your feedback. It is very helpful. I knew there was something about preparing the mohair to take color.
Jenny: So you don't pre wash your mohair right? You put a couple drops of dish washing detergent in to water. How much water per two dropsnof detergent do you use? Is it a cup per two drops would you say? One you shade Jenny, do you heat set the color?
Michelle: thank you for passing along Jenny's tip on wiping the area you shade with the water detergent solution.
Becky: I use Copic and Prisma markers for shading. I heard somewhere Copic fades with time. I also heat set when I use the markers. I wonder is that is necessary?
