Super Kool-Aid Experience

[Frangipani]

I dyed a bit of yarn while I was in the states visiting my family. One of them I gave to my partner in the "Sea of Yarn" swap and forgot to take a pic Oops! But here are the other two skeins. The flavours I used were cherry, grape, orange, raspberry and arctic apple green.

(click 'em)

 

 

 

Too much fun!! I brought home a heap of kool-aid packets with me to keep trying more colour combos!

 

Bec

[lovecrochet]

what kind of yarn is it you dyed? Looks real neat i might like to try that.

[Frangipani]

I used a BIG ol' skein of 100% wool and broke it up into smaller chunks to test out some different colour combos. I know everyone is different so here is what I did:

3/4 cup water per kool-aid packet used

submerge wool skein in hot water with a squirt of vinegar for 30 minutes

ring out skein

dip sections of yarn in different colours of kool-aid ( I found dipping easier than squirting with a turkey baster)

lightly ring the excess juice from the yarn after each dipping.

place in a microwave safe dish and cover with plastic wrap

nuke for 2 minutes

let sit for 2 minutes

nuke for 2 minutes

take entire dish/yarn/plastic contraption and set it outside to cool

once warm enough to touch, rinse excess kool-aid colour out of the skein under the sink with warm water.

when no more colours run, hang outside to dry (not in the sun) or in bathtub if you prefer.

 

Many have complained of theor house and microwave smelling after theis process but I didn't have that problem. I just kept the house ventilated during the entire process.

 

Have fun

Bec

[Brie]

Those turned out great! I've dyed with kool-aid, but only solid colors. I still have most of a skein of Fisherman's wool, so I might try some different color combinations. Thanks for th inspiration!

[faithpa76]

That is so cool! I really have to try that some day.

[mimi_mia]

I used a BIG ol' skein of 100% wool and broke it up into smaller chunks to test out some different colour combos. I know everyone is different so here is what I did:

3/4 cup water per kool-aid packet used

submerge wool skein in hot water with a squirt of vinegar for 30 minutes

ring out skein

dip sections of yarn in different colours of kool-aid ( I found dipping easier than squirting with a turkey baster)

lightly ring the excess juice from the yarn after each dipping.

place in a microwave safe dish and cover with plastic wrap

nuke for 2 minutes

let sit for 2 minutes

nuke for 2 minutes

take entire dish/yarn/plastic contraption and set it outside to cool

once warm enough to touch, rinse excess kool-aid colour out of the skein under the sink with warm water.

when no more colours run, hang outside to dry (not in the sun) or in bathtub if you prefer.

 

 

A question:

Would anyone know if once you boil your wool to dye it, could you still felt it after or would it already have shrunk to the point you could no longer felt it???? Just wondering

[Frangipani]

Well, when I presoaked my wool, it only went in hot water from the tap, not boiling. And when I rinsed it at the end, I used warm water. It never got hot enough to shrink or felt during the dying process.

 

Bec

[dudleyspinner]

Great job on the dying:cheer You got some really neat colors

 

 

For wool to felt it has to have three things, heat, adgitation, and alkalinatiy, like soap, or detergent. Some kool-aid dyers use vinegar to set the dye. Vinegar is acid, the opposet of alkaline. So the wool doesn't felt while dyeing. I dye hundreds of pounds of wool in a years time, there is a very slight amount of felting, and that happens while rinsing.

Deb

[EricaB]

That is so cool! I've been saying for the longest that I am going to try this, now I will.

[Frangipani]

Did you dye some yarn yet, Erica? BTW - I love your blog.

 

Cheers,

Bec

[carrieanne]

They are so pretty! And Kool_aid isnt very expensive at all! I want to try my hand at that!