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March 02, 2007
experiment
So let me tell you, what I enjoyed the other day.
There is something I didn't write here when I decleared my knitting resolution for 2007. Well, I didn't sure at that time if I really would want to do it soon. That's it:
- try to hand-dying for yarn
I have had several Kool-aid packs for the purpose since some years ago(years!) but never had a real urge to do it. One of the reasons is that after I've got these Kool-aids as one pack of each flavors, I found out that only one pack wasn't enough to dye a skein of yarn, and my heart sank...also, at that time I could not find a good tutorials for it. Anyhow I was not very keen to do, so just forgot.
Last year I found them when I was deep into my stash, and got them out, I thought I could give away to someone or whatever. And around the end of autumm I believe, I started thinking that it might not very bad idea, to do some experiment just for fun....And finally it came to hit me.
I had just around one hour or so before preparing lunch on the day. The day before in the bed at night, I had already decided to do it the next day. So I started, put my yarn into the sink with soap-lukewarm water. Opened my file with Knitty's tutorial page (printed months ago)on the table. These are my kit:
I chose microwave cooking, and I try to mix flavors. Normally it needs 4 packs for 4 oz skein, but I picked up 3 in order to save my minimal resource.(cannot find in Japan). Two blue and one red.
The mix turned out like that...dull chocolate pink color. I cooked it twice, 4 minutes and 30 seconds in total in microwave. After waiting for a while, the water became REALLY clear, after the dye was devoured into the yarn. I washed it gently and squeezed, put it out at a shaded spot in my tiny balcony, and back to lunch and parenting.
It was sunny day and it dried completely before evening.
Oh, my friends. This is it.
<
Not intended, it is slightly mottled. The photo is not completely accurate for the real color, but it is...rather rich rose pink than chocolate. I am very, very happy with the result and actually I didn't expect that subtle color with Kool-aid. 3 packs for 100g yarn looks acceptable too for me. I love SO MUCH this rich rose color!!! The yarn itself is not very soft like merino yarn, but nor at all itchy even if you put it at your neck. Since then I cannot stop petting this skein...bring it everywhere at home.
The specs:
yarn: 100g, sock weight wool-cashmere-nyron yarn, bought in Japan
Kool-aid: 1 pack of each, Strawberry, Tropical Punch, and Berry Blue
Though, there is only one thing I don't like with the result: this artificial mixed fruity flavor. It smells quite strongly and I hate it...hope it will disappear soon.
And now, I am liking the dyeing!!! Oh, I will do it again soon for sure, when there is nobody at home...ha ha!
Now guess what, I am looking for an appropriate sock pattern like crazy for the yarn to cast on!
Posted by trico at March 2, 2007 11:00 PM
????
How beautiful! I'm thinking lace socks?
My first attempt at kool-aid dyeing this week was an unmitigated disaster! The yarn sucked in all the dye as soon as I started putting it in the dye water (so only half the yarn picked up color) so then I had to frantically put in all my other packets to color up the rest of the yarn...sigh...my skein is drying but I think I'm going to have to try over-dyeing the whole thing.
Posted by: Marie at March 4, 2007 04:44 PM
what a lovely color! i am curious, where did you find the sock yarn?
Posted by: asploded at March 29, 2007 11:28 AM