would this work?

[chenille4]

No dye lot my foot!

Michaels didn't have enough of the color to finish my sweater (which I am knitting, if that matters) but I wanted to get started right away. I had to pick up the rest of my yarn a few weeks later, as they kept running out before I got there. Anyway, the color is noticably just slightly off, and I was wondering if dying the finished project lightly when it is assembled could help to settle the collor difference? It is ww accrylic yarn, soft sage green (carron one pound) I need to know if I could do this, how well it is likely to work, and what color I should use, and any other tips. Thanks so much for your assistance!

-Rebekah

[Natasha]

I would be afraid of ruining the finished product with a bad dye job! I have heard others say they solved a similar dilemma by either alternating dye lots within the project or by doing certain portions, like the sleeves, neckband, and waistband, in one lot, so it looks like the color difference was intentional.

 

This probably doesn't help you at all, does it, as I gather you're almost done with the sweater?

 

Hopefully, someone will be along soon with more information for you. Good luck!

[chenille4]

no, I have the back and part of one side done.

this is a long term project

[sammimag]

What little I understand about about dyeing is that even if you re-dye it you the variances in the yarn dye lots will likely show though.

 

One way to mitigate the to dye lot or not really a no-dye lot issue is to alternate the rows of the different lots to lessen the effect some.

 

If you do decide to try dyeing it make sure you get a dye for acrylic fibers and I would do a test swatch first. I personally have no experience dyeing acrylic fibers.

[Roxanne]

As far as I know, because acrylic is a synthetic fibre (plastic I think?), you aren't able to dye it yourself. Dyes need cellulose or animal protein to adhere to. You might want to do some research on it online but that's my understanding anyways.

 

To help the change in dye lot, alternating between the dye lots might help or like someone said, do the sleeves different from the body, etc.

 

Sorry that doesn't help too much - I hate dye lot issues!

[sammimag]

You can dye Acrylic fibers but it doesn't seem to be the easiest thing to do for home dyers compared to dying cotton (cellulose) and wool (protein fibers.)

 

I found some info here.

 

As I've said before even if you did dye it again the dye lot differences would likely show through.

[Aggie May]

You would possibly need to un-dye first.

There is a product to do this with and you would need to check that it was suitable for your yarn.

 

Is the garment of a suitable style that you could work one batch lot up to the armholes, add a wee stripe pattern using a contrast colour, then complete the top with the other batch lot?

You would need to do the colour change on the top of the sleeves too.

 

The other idea, if you had not already done a lot of the knitting, is, work from two balls of yarn at a time, 2 rows of one batch lot and 2 rows of the the other. This helps to even it out over the whole garment.

Hope this helps.

Colleen.

[Roxanne]

You can dye Acrylic fibers but it doesn't seem to be the easiest thing to do for home dyers compared to dying cotton (cellulose) and wool (protein fibers.)

 

I found some info here.

 

It does sounds tricky. If you haven't dyed before, I'm not sure I'd recommend it but of course, nothing is impossible and if you try it, I hope it works well! Interesting info that's for sure...thanks for the link!