| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| yarnmamma |
Posted - Sep 30 2008 : 3:25:12 PM
http://www.instructables.com/id/Easy-Koolaid-Microwave-Wool-Dye-Technique/
Dying wool with koolaid in the microwave!!!
I had to show this to see what you gals thought!
Linda in Scranton, PA
farmgirl #71
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Yes! I live in the Scranton, PA "The Office" TV show is based on! LOL LOL
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| 25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| SpinninJenny |
Posted - Oct 11 2008 : 08:15:24 AM
I first dyed wool with Koolaid when my 19 yr old grand daughter was in kindergarden. The wool retained the fragrance of the particular flavor for years, and the color has NEVER faded!! When I give spinning demos, I always get the greatest reactions from the kids when they learn the colors came from Koolaid. Their parents always give a nod of understanding and "knowing" looks!
Jennifer in GA
The man who sets out to carry a cat by its tail learns something that will always be useful and which never will grow dim or doubtful. --
Mark Twain.
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| Bonne |
Posted - Oct 04 2008 : 7:39:49 PM
Grace, hubby has a week off coming here around Columbus Day week, and we plan to bum around CO Spgs and general vicinity. Do you allow visitors to your farm? I'd love to meet you and see your "kids". ;)
 http://bonne1313.blogspot.com/ BLOG
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| PlumCreekMama |
Posted - Oct 04 2008 : 5:40:19 PM
Thank you very much, Bonne! I have a ton more yarn to dye, but I've been taking advantage of the last of the nice weather by being outside almost constantly! Once winter comes, I plan to do a lot more crafts, but I have a ton to get done before Christmas. I wish I didn't have to sleep!
http://plumcreekmama.blogspot.com/
http://plumcreekcreations.etsy.com |
| Bonne |
Posted - Oct 04 2008 : 12:35:27 PM
Heather, you've got some awesome colors in your yarns for sale! ;)
http://bonne1313.blogspot.com/ BLOG
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| PlumCreekMama |
Posted - Oct 03 2008 : 7:15:47 PM
I was just stating the possibilities that the yarn dyed with koolaid may not have been done in the proper way. You have to continue to heat it after the dye is exhausted to set the dye. If anyone is interested, I suggest joining Ravelry. It's a great site and the group I belong to there can answer any questions and have tons of tutorials. You wouldn't believe some of the colors people can get mixing koolaid, but Wilton's has such a variety, there is pretty much nothing you can't do. I totally agree with you Grace on not drinking the dyebath, though! After seeing how well it dyes yarn, I definitely don't want to drink it. Ever.
http://plumcreekmama.blogspot.com/
http://plumcreekcreations.etsy.com |
| grace gerber |
Posted - Oct 03 2008 : 09:02:45 AM
Your so right Jami - it is great fun to show kids and it does not require all the gear that other dyes do - I admit I do not wear my mask all the time and have walked around with purple hands for a week or so...
I have seen the sun damage on a sweater made with koolaid dyes, a tank top that left hot pink stains on the body of the knitter who made it, the shawl that leached when being hand washed with another garmet... and the list goes on. Over the years most of us teachers of dyeing strongly recommend that koolaid dyeing is not for items you wish to spend time and money on but heck I am never one to tell someone to not experiment.. Have fun and don't drink your dyebaths.
Grace Gerber
Larkspur Funny Farm and Fiber Art Studio
Where the spirits are high and the fiber is deep
http://www.larkspurfunnyfarm.etsy.com
http://larkspurfunnyfarm.blogspot.com
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| Jami |
Posted - Oct 03 2008 : 07:36:24 AM
Grace, you might be right but when I teach the koolaid/canner method, I tell people it's just a fun project to do with their kids or grandkids. Takes no protective gear and as non-toxic as kool-aid is...don't ask me really, to me that stuff is nasty to drink! But, it's a great fun homeschool kid project and can be done without having special separate equipment and can teach the color spectrum and overdyeing, etc. I haven't had trouble with fading too much but I'm pretty careful to keep my stored woolens in a dark closet or drawer and haven't tested it over years and years time. However, I do dry outside in the sun (against advice) and no problems.
The nice thing about professional dyes are the color choices that you can get....koolaid is pretty limited but still I think it's fun. Since I don't know the long-term effects of it, I have only offered up my acid dyed products for sale and now that I hear your report, kinda glad I have.
Jami in WA
Farmgirl Sister #266
http://woolyinwashington.wordpress.com/ |
| PlumCreekMama |
Posted - Oct 02 2008 : 2:14:47 PM
I have had no problems with color running- just make sure you have exhausted the dye and heated for awhile afterwards to set the color. There are people on Ravelry that have been dyeing this way for years and years and have even posted what their finished objects look like after wearing and washing a long time. Most of them have been selling and trading their yarns for years and don't have problems with it. It just needs to be treated with care, like any item made of wool and other animal fibers. If you buy Wilton's sets of dyes from Hobby Lobby or Joann's or such with a 40-50% off coupon, as most of us do, it really isn't very expensive. Oh, and another thing I forgot to mention before was to make sure you are using the unsweetened Koolaid and other drink mixes. Sugar will burn your yarn in the microwave.
http://plumcreekmama.blogspot.com/
http://plumcreekcreations.etsy.com |
| yarnmamma |
Posted - Oct 02 2008 : 1:22:32 PM
Lots of good info! I thought this was so interesting that it would be a good topic. We are learning alot!
Linda in Scranton, PA
farmgirl #71
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Yes! I live in the Scranton, PA "The Office" TV show is based on! LOL LOL
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| grace gerber |
Posted - Oct 02 2008 : 1:18:42 PM
Hi all, dyeing is a great part of fiber arts and I spend a great deal of time doing it but I will give you just what I have learned over the years regarding KoolAid dyeing - it is not stable. It will be effected by light, washings, detergents and perfume even if you use vinegar. If you are wanting to sell your yarn or fiber your customers will not be happy when the dye runs, dissapears or leaves the color on their body. It is fun to start the learning process of dyeing with kids with KoolAid because they can not get ill from the dust or smells, it is something they understand but I sure would not use it on fiber or yarn that you have spent any money on. As for the Wilson dyes, I have had many other teachers who agree with me, if you are going to spend the money to dye something get real dyes. There are tons of stores and on line who sell fiber dyes - cake dyes are for food.
Sorry to sound like a downer but I have seen too many students very dissapointed and wasted money on this style of dyeing.
Grace Gerber
Larkspur Funny Farm and Fiber Art Studio
Where the spirits are high and the fiber is deep
http://www.larkspurfunnyfarm.etsy.com
http://larkspurfunnyfarm.blogspot.com
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| Bonne |
Posted - Oct 02 2008 : 10:01:16 AM
I used marigolds to get a good yellow. The first yellow I used to blend was very pale like butter; already had some black mohair and a reddish-orange wool to made some "Samhain" yarn,
My blend with the deeper (marigold) yellow I'm calling "Hallow's Eve".
Sorry Linda, I got away from the Koolaid that this thread is about,
and went eau naturalle with the marigolds. lol
Jami, I don't know what I'll make yet. HOW much of this yarn that gets spun up will determine WHAT I can make from it. 
I do know that I'm getting nothing else done around the house, because I can't stop piddling with the wools. hahaha! Heather , you are right on the mark about this being addictive. 
http://bonne1313.blogspot.com/ BLOG
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| PlumCreekMama |
Posted - Oct 02 2008 : 08:28:41 AM
I am actually in a group on Ravelry with a bunch of other people that dye yarn with Koolaid and Wilton's food dye. Bonne- I would suggest you try Wilton's for some of the colors you want, but black is a difficult one to get, it usually ends up a dark purple, which is totally pretty too. With Wilton's you just have to add vinegar to it, Koolaid is already acidic enough so you don't need it. Nylon and animal fibers (wool, alpaca, etc) will work, but acrylic will not, nor does cotton. I have dyed some of mine in the crockpot- there are tons of methods! I have some of my finished yarn in my etsy shop:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=14598629
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=14598032
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=14597244
The top one was made with Wilton's and the other two was made with Koolaid. The reason I use these dyes is that they are safer. I can use my dishes for dyeing and still use them for food. Definitely give this a try- it's very fun and addictive!
http://plumcreekmama.blogspot.com/
http://plumcreekcreations.etsy.com |
| Jami |
Posted - Oct 02 2008 : 08:23:22 AM
Nylon is a polymer based fiber so can take the koolaid dye but is still a synthetic. I don't know exactly why but it can take those dyes. I am told acrylics like Red Heart will not hold onto dyes. I have no personal knowledge of this...I just read and learn and then don't try it if it's pending a poor outcome.
Bonne, loved your bright colors! Pretty stuff. Whatcha gonna make out of it?
Jami in WA
Farmgirl Sister #266
http://woolyinwashington.wordpress.com/ |
| Jami |
Posted - Oct 02 2008 : 08:13:53 AM
Hi Ann...just a tad of vinegar in water...I'm really bad with measuring as I don't do it. About 1/3 cup of vinegar or a good slosh in a 2 quart or so container of water...I use a cheap plastic tub from the dollar store.
Jami in WA
Farmgirl Sister #266
http://woolyinwashington.wordpress.com/ |
| soapmommy60543 |
Posted - Oct 02 2008 : 05:31:37 AM
Bonne - you might try a small skein of your acrylic and see how it does. Please post your results! If it works for you, I've got all kinds of off-whitish yarn that I've inherited over the years and would love to change up the colors, especially for the cost of a packet of Koolaid instead of buying a whole new skein of yarn.
Jami - what proportion of vinegar to water? 50-50?
Thanks for all this great info - sounds like a lot of fun (my kids will have a blast with this one!) - what a great science and art project for homeschool! |
| oldfashioned girl |
Posted - Oct 01 2008 : 8:34:50 PM
Bonne, I used kool-aid on nylon roving and the roving came out really bright! It seemed to take the kool-aid really well!
Monica
farmgirls rule!
www.justducky48.etsy.com |
| Bonne |
Posted - Oct 01 2008 : 8:19:23 PM
Red Heart acrylic? That's synthetic~the koolaid dyes are for natural fibers~wouldn't "take".
http://bonne1313.blogspot.com/ BLOG
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| yarnmamma |
Posted - Oct 01 2008 : 6:10:35 PM
Jami,
It sounds like Easter dying eggs! Could be fun. What about regular yarn? I buy Red Heart. If I wanted to dye a neutral color to my own color? I would get an off-white. Would it work the same?
Sounds fun! I might try it just to see what happens. What about dying the project after it is knitted?
Linda in Scranton, PA
farmgirl #71
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Yes! I live in the Scranton, PA "The Office" TV show is based on! LOL LOL
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| Jami |
Posted - Oct 01 2008 : 5:08:16 PM
When I said to "set it in the microwave" that means to "set" the dye, put the wet fiber in a ziploc bag vented and cook on high for 4 minutes or so...let it cool off a bit and wash in warm soapy water very gently. The dye should be set and if not, cook some more in the microwave.
Figured some might think to just SIT in the microwave from my instructions and that won't do the trick....gotta turn it on! Ha.
Will go see what you've done Bonne. Have fun!
Jami in WA
Farmgirl Sister #266
http://woolyinwashington.wordpress.com/ |
| Bonne |
Posted - Oct 01 2008 : 12:58:04 PM
Thanks for all the good info, Jami!!
Ok, I had to try. Ck my blog for the "Samhain Yarn" I'm going to spin. ;)
http://bonne1313.blogspot.com/ BLOG
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| Jami |
Posted - Oct 01 2008 : 11:28:22 AM
To tone down the koolaid colors, just do what I do...use a water bath canner...put a different koolaid color in each quart canning jar up to as many colors as you like...a large canner will hold 7-8 jars. Mix with really hot water and then fill up the jars to almost full and place in the canner rack on high heat, almost to a boil. Take your skeins of yarn or roving and you can either use the "dunk" method or the layover method where you put different parts of the skein or roving into the different jars and the colors you like, and the colors you don't (too bright or whatever), try dunking into another color and mute it down. You'll love the results and the color combinations and you'll be surprised how many colors you can make. If you leave them in these colors until they exhaust (turn almost clear in the jar and most of the color is in the fiber) you don't have to "set" the dye in the microwave but if you dunk and dunk and quit early, just set it in the microwave in a ziploc bag. Premordant your fiber in a water/vinegar solution.
Jami in WA
Farmgirl Sister #266
http://woolyinwashington.wordpress.com/ |
| Jami |
Posted - Oct 01 2008 : 11:15:44 AM
Bonne, it seems it's just the last few years the fall decorating has become so prevalent and fiber processors are probably slow to respond. Years ago it seems folks only decorated for Christmas and now fall seems to really be taking a big stage.
So, until the world catches up, think you should go for it with your own color palette! Have fun.
Jami
Farmgirl Sister #266
http://woolyinwashington.wordpress.com/ |
| Bonne |
Posted - Oct 01 2008 : 10:48:28 AM
Oh, and this gives me another idea. Why the heck don't you see varigated or blended Halloween themed yarns? There are a ton of the Xmas colored yarns, but I want orange, black, yellow etc.!! I think I need to dye my own with some orange and lemon KoolAid and blend it with some of the black fiber I already have. Oh goody, another mess brewing at my house........lol
http://bonne1313.blogspot.com/ BLOG
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| Bonne |
Posted - Oct 01 2008 : 10:44:18 AM
I used the koolaid tut that was on Knitty.
http://www.knitty.com/issuefall02/FEATdyedwool.html
It holds in wool very well.
Years ago I tried it on some cotton chenille~looked nice, like easter egg colors, until it was washed, then it faded. I believe it was mentioned that it didn't work with cotton so well~had to try though.....lol
http://bonne1313.blogspot.com/ BLOG
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| oldfashioned girl |
Posted - Oct 01 2008 : 10:11:26 AM
Jami, they do come out VERY VERY bright!!
Monica
farmgirls rule!
www.justducky48.etsy.com |
