How to dye your own yarn Dying your own son is not difficult and can be fun! There are many ways to die, but I prefer that uses unsweetened drink mixes like Kool-Aid or Flavor-aid and a microwave. You must use 100% wool yarn (or another protein fiber) for the color to take. I used wool Fisherman's with good results. To prepare the wool, make bundles of about two ounces each, tied with a short chain. (I use son to tie my boots, and then keep the ties on index cards with details on the wire and the amount of mix that I used for future reference. I experience a lot!)
Packages of wool soaked in warm water with a squirt of liquid dish soap for half an hour. Although the beams are soaking prepare your dye. You can use plastic cups for mixing. I like to mix up a bunch in a plastic container with a lid and store it for later use. Start with a packet of drink mix for each ounce fiber you intend to dye. Mix six ounces of water and two ounces of white distilled vinegar.
In summary:
For every ounce of fiber:
1 pkg. drink mix
6 oz water
2 oz vinegar
Feel free to experiment. The mixture of glass more than you use, the brighter the color will be. You can mix different colors in different sections and projections of the wire with a turkey baster (or brush or dropper ...) or you can combine different flavors to get a mixture.
Line a Pyrex glass dish like casserole with plastic wrap, then remove the wire from his bath. Carefully squeeze the excess water. If you shake the cord, it will start to feel, if you want to be very sweet! Place the wire on the plastic wrap and pour the dye over. Make sure all the son is covered by the dye mixture.
Wrap the plastic tightly around the wire. You can secure the ends with tape, but it is not necessary. Squish the liquid around again to ensure that all son were covered. Micro-wave beam in the glass dish over high heat for two minutes. Remove pan from oven and let stand for two minutes. Check if the liquid is clear. Be careful because it will be very hot! Keep hands and face of the bundle in the case where steam is released.
If the liquid is not clear, return the beam back in the microwave for two minutes at a time. When the liquid is colorless, it is complete. Remove the plastic wrap and rinse thoroughly with hot water. Feel free to cool the wire in the air. I put mine outside on the patio. As the son cools you can use cooler water to rinse. (The more extreme it is exposed, the more likely he felt.)
When the wire is cool enough to handle, remove the excess water and hang to dry. My neighbors know that this was one day die when they see the colorful banners swooping around my tree branches in front! On rainy days, I draped son on hangers and let them dry inside. Make sure to line the floor with towels or newspapers to catch drips.
Just as some notes of finish: The microwave method is best if you die a small amount of son and want to get a marbled effect. For a more uniform, you can dye son in a large skillet on the stove. I also tried to die finished articles, which worked well, although the color will settle more in some places. One of the most charming of dying with drink mixes, is that the finished yarn smells something like the flavor. Yum
Posted on May 16, 2010.
