| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| katiedid |
Posted - Feb 21 2007 : 08:32:47 AM
Ok, fiber enthusiasts..I have seen some really "kool" stuff on websites and blogs made with yarn that has been dyed with Kool-Aid!
Who has done it? What did you make with the yarn/carding wool?
This looks so fun..
Chime in...
Is is really messy?
Time consuming?
Do the dyes fade with washing/drying?
Thanks, gals.
Kate
ps..post some pics if you can!!
my new blog http/www.theknifemakerswife.wordpress.com |
| 13 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| SpinninJenny |
Posted - Feb 25 2007 : 6:54:33 PM
My grown daughter and I've done Kool-aide dying with wool. We had a great time and learned a LOT about that kind of concentrated dye.
I give living history demos on my spinning wheel and love to see the looks on kids faces when I tell them that the pretty aqua wool was from Berry Blue Koolaide! We also used Strawberry (pink), Raspberry (pale violet-red), Tropical Punch (red), and Grape (purple). I have some dyed over 10 years ago and it's still as bright as when first dyed. The fragrance of the Koolaide flavor stayed with the wool for several years, too, but it has now faded away.
One really interesting discovery we made using Koolaide was that the wool absorbed ALL the color from the water, leaving the water clear!! Yes, it does make one wonder what it does to our insides!
I'll look up the instructions if anyone wants to know the method we used. I've heard of doing this in the microwave, too.
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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| daffodil dreamer |
Posted - Feb 25 2007 : 6:20:28 PM
Isn't she gorgeous, Catherine - she always makes me laugh! Sad to hear about her accident, though - but I guess it gives her more knitting time! There's always a bright side!
Best wishes,
Jayne |
| cmandle |
Posted - Feb 24 2007 : 6:59:25 PM
You're totally right, Jayne. I love Ms. Spider's blog! (And she had a *terrible* accident yesterday...poor girl!) I'll be adding her to the list...another fun knitting blogger!
Catherine :)
http://yogurtandgranola.blogspot.com |
| grace gerber |
Posted - Feb 24 2007 : 2:45:27 PM
Since I do this for a living I can tell you it does work, is very easy but the biggest drawback is it will not be color fast. That means the color will fade with time and not much time at that. You can also do the easter egg dye but again it is not color fast. Please remember to rinse everything in white vinegar after you are done dyeing otherwise also the dye will come off on you. It is a good beginner project but just remember those colors are "hair today, gone in a couple of months".
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 |
| Celticheart |
Posted - Feb 23 2007 : 4:03:23 PM
You're not the only one Karin! I feel the same way and I have the socks that haven't faded. They also smelled(faintly) of blueberries and vinegar for awhile =~)
"I suppose the pleasure of country life lies really in the eternally renewed evidence of the determination to live." Vita Sackville-West
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| daffodil dreamer |
Posted - Feb 22 2007 : 02:52:47 AM
I had heard about dying with Kool-aid, but we can't get that here in Australia, so I left dying my own wool as I didn't want to mess around. But then I found a tutorial for dying with food colouring, which we CAN get! My daughters and I did this - we made all the colours of the rainbow to make some more of my little gnomes. The colours are great! I just dyed each skein a different colour, but when I have more time, I'll try the self-striping. It was so easy and not messy at all.
http://happyspider6.blogspot.com/2006/06/tutorial-dyeing-self-striping-yarn.html
Check it out - and any keen knitters out there, look at Ms. Spider's blog - she does the most beautiful knitting, especially all her realyy fine shawls (she calls them her spiderwebs!) Catherine, you would love it!! She is a really lovely person - she has done quite a bit of dying for me. Megan, your yarn from the sock swap is from Happy Spider.
Best wishes,
Jayne |
| Mumof3 |
Posted - Feb 22 2007 : 02:02:25 AM
Am I the only one a little wierded out by this? I think dyeing with Kool-Aid would be fun. But then, I got to thinking that people drink it! What does it do to their insides? :0 If Marcia's socks haven't faded after a few years.....Bleah. Kool-Aid will only go on my craft shelf, along with the tea bags!!
Karin |
| lambgirl |
Posted - Feb 21 2007 : 10:01:44 PM
Oh this I have got to try! I can hardly wait for the weekend.
Heidi |
| Celticheart |
Posted - Feb 21 2007 : 6:22:11 PM
I did it with sock yarn and two colors of Kool Aid. It was a sock kit a few years back. It was fun and I still have those socks. They haven't faded at all. I've always thought I would try it again but haven't done it yet.
"I suppose the pleasure of country life lies really in the eternally renewed evidence of the determination to live." Vita Sackville-West
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| Aunt Jenny |
Posted - Feb 21 2007 : 3:30:41 PM
I have done it and made socks with the yarn. When you get moved down here We will for sure do it..okay??? I have used Easter egg dye too..those little pills of color...fun!!
Jenny in Utah
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
| willowtreecreek |
Posted - Feb 21 2007 : 12:19:35 PM
You can dye your hair with koolaide too! We used to do this when I was in HighSchool!
Jewelry, art, baskets, etc.
www.willowartist.etsy.com
www.willowtreecreek.com |
| cmandle |
Posted - Feb 21 2007 : 10:31:54 AM
Oh yeah, doesn't have to be messy - we did it on her nice dining room table with no problems, though my fingers were purple for a bit afterwards - and it doesn't have to be time-consuming. It was for us because we were trying to get a whole bunch of roving dyed for our Urban Farmgirls gig, but if you're just doing for yourself, it shouldn't have to take too long.
--c :)
http://yogurtandgranola.blogspot.com |
| cmandle |
Posted - Feb 21 2007 : 10:29:23 AM
I learned from Mama Grouch (www.mamagrouch.com) who learned from a Knitty article:
http://www.knitty.com/issuefall02/FEATdyedwool.html
It's super easy and so fun. Warning: your kitchen may smell like a psychedelic barnyard during the process due to the roving and fruity flavors, but it's still so fun. Not the best activity to do with wee ones around because of all of the boiling water, but as I recall, we both had our children in slings that day and survived.
I haven't actually made anything from my Kool-Aid dyed roving except a few bad attempts at needle-felted flowers. KnitPicks.com has a great "naked" wool for dying, apparently, and it's super cheap. You can make your own self-striping sock yarn!
Go for it!!
--c :)
http://yogurtandgranola.blogspot.com |
