Fun dyeing . . . going wrong???

I had fun dyeing with one color but even more when mixing colors and see how it ends up

1. RB lemonade (Kool-aid) and smidgen of Sand Dune (Dharma dye)

2. Berry blasting cherry (Kool-aid) and smidgen of Salmon (Jacquard dye)

3. Smidgen of Twilight grey (Dharma dye) and dust of Teal (Jacquard dye)

4. Grape (Kool-aid) and smidgen of Burgundy (Jacquard dye)

5. Smidgen of Fawn (Dharma dye)

6. Smidgen of Green Juniper (Wilton food coloring)

7. Smidgen of royal blue (Jacquard dye)

All skeins are 25 g and dye mix dissolved in  100 ml of hot water.

✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿

I pour in the mix little by little in the large ball,

remove the yarn,

pour a little again,

cook in microwave

and let it stand until water is clear.

but for the no 6, I forgot to remove the yarn 

before pouring the mix and voila...

... horrible camouflage color instead of a nice light green forest color.

Despite this skein, I like the rest of the color. 

The kool-aid helps to bring light to acid dye colors and a nice smell. 

The yarn remains soft despite me torturing it many times ☺

I will be mixing again various dyes. 

Playing with colors and small skeins

I just love playing with colors and yarn dyeing

this time I had

✏ 14 colors (Jacquard acid dye)

✏ 16 small skeins of fingering yarn

superwash is preferred

(BFL, MCN, Knit picks, 25 g each)

1. Tools are needed

✏ a small scale 

✏ a small measurement tool

✏ water (100 ml per 1g dye)

✏ small labelled cups

✏ large jars if you decide to use the microwave

2. Experimenting

✏ small tissue paper can be useful to see what color I will look like at the end

✏ prepare the jars with filling with hot water half way

✏ add 10ml of vinegar in each jar

✏ add dyed water from cup

✏ stir the mix

✏ add yarn

3. Heating

✏ I put the jar in microwave for 2 minutes non stop, 

then 4 times 30 seconds,

checking each time to make sure yarn is not boiling,

if you yarn boils it is felting.

4. Drying

Once microwaved, let the yarn rest in jar until water cool (overnight if needed),

it helps the yarn to better absorb the dye.

Water must be transparent.

Then rinse and let it dry.

5. Proudly take a picture and Instagram it ☺

✏ Salmon and ecru

✏ Brown and ecru

✏ Teal

✏  Vermillion

✏ Royal blue

✏ Aztec gold

6. 2nd experiment 

✏ take some of the colors I didn't like and

dye it over with Kool-aid 

(Same process 24 hours later)

Look at these gorgeous colors!!!

✏ Brown and peach mango

✏  Sky blue and silver grey

✏ Chestnut and Grape

✏  Salmon and orange

✏ Pumpkin orange and grape

✏ Ecru and IBR lemonade

✏ Silver grey and strawberry-kiwi

✏ Gun metal and navy

✏ Gold ochre, pina and grape

✏ Chartreuse, lemonade and ecru

Comments on the experience

✏ preferred yarn superwash BFL, MCN DK, fingering was too thin

✏ some colors like silver grey mixes well with pink and blue

✏ don't forget the vinegar or the dye won't stay on yarn
✏ use stock solution of dye if small quantity dyed
✏ a good set of measuring tools are essential
✏ understanding DOS (depth of shade)
✏ take notes . . . lots of it

Unravelling stories (part 2)

2nd Banana Republic sweater unravelling

100% cashmere sweater 

This one was a little different,

the front and back was 2 ply where the sleeves and borders were 1 ply

The sweater was a bit dirty so I plan to put the yarn into skeins and
dye the yarn with kool-air or Jacquard dye

What color should I go for?
Maybe a light vintage pink for baby sweater
or a dark teal for a baby overall...

more to come. . . for a little tutorial this time

A day of natural dyeing, part 5

Getting better and better...

Dyeing is really fun but when you finally get the color you wished for, it is divine.

Next step, dyeing multiple skeins with my favorite colors...

and finally knitting a project...

 for that I found the best tool ever ☺

A day of natural dyeing, part 4

Another little try-out

Target was dark teal, raspberry/fuchsia, dark plum, brown chocolate

It is not that easy to mix colors but I am persevering. 

I have researched some more at the library and on line.

Yarn is Lion Brand Superwash Merino Cashmere.

Good yarn, it dyes well and stay super soft even after the process.

Ball of around 100 yards, a bit sort for a quick adult project but good for a kid one.

Dye used kool aid :-), Jacquard bought on Etsy.