Dyed in the Wool
Thanks for everybody’s lovely suggestions for dyes and dyeing! Good thing yard sale season will soon be upon us — I have cheap pots and microwaves on my mind…
Thankfully, we had dry weather on Good Friday, so I spent the afternoon mixing up the dye powders (I bought the Washfast Acid dyes from Maiwa Handprints at the Net Loft on Granville Island — about $5 CDN for 30g) and making dye stock solutions. I’m messy. Even in chem lab at university, with their lovely and expensive glassware, I was always spilling stuff. Things haven’t changed — good thing I also wore the dust mask.
I mixed up the five colours that I bought: magenta, purple, royal blue, yellow and gold yellow. The 1% dye stocks are in labelled glass jars now. I also diluted a portion to make 0.5% dye solutions which are stored in plastic squeeze bottles now.
As per the instructions at “The Dye Pot”, I soaked the roving for about 45 minutes in cool water with a drop of Synthrapol (mental note: soak in vinegar next time, not Synthrapol — soap causes felting, acid prevents felting!), then coiled up the damp roving in the 5 qt. crockpot. I squeezed the different colours onto each layer and then left the yellow rovings at the top so that the magenta wouldn’t bleed into everything… Also per the instructions, I dumped 2 cups of vinegar + water over top…
Ummm, that would likely explain why the yellow ran into pretty much everything, creating orange and rust colours along with some pretty vibrant purples and plums:
It wasn’t exactly what I was expecting…but it’s growing on me now. I think the biggest disappointment was that a large portion of the wool at the bottom of the pot was dyed such a dark dark violet that it looks black. Also, the pale yellow on brownish roving looks a little muddy. But here it is being spun up:
And here are more KoolAid Corriedale rovings that I’ve spun:
Oh! And of course, I have been knitting! I finally found a copy of the Rebecca 29 (I know, I know, some people have already finished their wrap cardis) and started the mohair wrap cardi in the Jo Sharp Rare Comfort Mohair. It’s been a fast knit and I’m almost finished the back piece. And happily, the mohair is much softer and fluffier when it’s knit up then when it’s on the ball. Mmm.
I love the colors. Great Job!
Fabulous! Cant wait to see how it spins up
The ‘toxic’ dyes are magnificent! Truly echoes of fall
I love how the green & blue Kool-aid spun up together…yummy!
I am still wrestling with my spindle…haven’t had time to give it the proper time and attention span ;D
You did a great job! If the smell of vinegar cooking for that long bothers you, you might want to consider going with citrate (aka citric acid). It’s cheap, works just as well, and no horrible sour smell. The dark black violet is just gravity causing the dyes to migrate - if you want it to strike faster, add more acid.
Wow, your yarns are great! What are you planning for all that stuff?
I can’t believe how much spinning you’ve done so far! It all looks beautiful.
your yarn looks fantastic!
Ahhhh, that’s so pretty. I hope I’m there someday, with the spinning especially!
My word, that is some fantastic stuff! (love your photos, by the way - I’m another photographer knitter, not that one could tell from my apparent inability to POST said photos…)
If ever you decide to sell any of your spun yarn, I hope you’ll let we covetous readers know!
Gosh, that stuff is gorgeous. I actually love that dye job.
Your spinning is wonderful, too. I’m so envious!
Wow! Didn’t you only recently take up spinning? Your yarn looks terrific!
Good job! I think those yellows go great with the dark violets. What will you knit with it?
I can’t believe you are a “novice” spinner. (shaking my not-as-novice head in shame…). You’re dye job and your spinning look great.
Wow, all your roving and yarn look wonderful. I love the purple-plummy colors. I can’t wait to see what you make with all your new yarn.
Wow, what a beautiful experiment! I am totally in awe of hand-dyeing. I especially love your blue-green Corriedale. BTW - I am doing that Rebecca KAL, and I haven’t even started! Maybe you will give me some motivation to get cracking.
Wow! Your rovings make me want to learn to spin. They’re gonna look great when you spin them up. Have you thought about what you’ll knit with them?
Beautiful dyeing, Felicia! I love the colors that you used. WHat a fun experiment–like dyeing Easter roving instead of eggs
The handspun is simply lovely. So pretty!
You did an excellent job–beautiful colors! And your spinning is so fine and even.
I find the crock pot works better for me for solids and blended and shaded (and muddy) colors while handpainting/wrapping in plastic/steaming works better for keeping the color separations more distinct.
If I want the dye to strike and not mix of settle to the bottom, I mix the acid directly into the dyes. For handpainting, I add a little soap when soaking the wool to give me time to work the dye through the fiber.. For Crockpot dyeing, I don’t. I just add it to the dye.
Your colors are lovely!
You are a spinning machine, wow! I love those colours, they are gorgeous!
The KoolAid colors are great. I love the blues and the greens. Gosh, you should have started this a long time ago! You obviously have a knack for it. Some beautiful knitting is on the horizon!
Beautiful! Your work is inspirational! I have been wanting to make the cool-aid sweater out of the stitch and bitch book…. have you seen that one?!
Everything is so beautiful!
I think your dye job looks beautiful! I love the colors. I bet you will too once it is all knit up.
Really fantastic! Show us swatches! Pretty please….
I love the colors. I do Kool Aid dying every once in awhile, but I never get that look, that’s for sure…(then again, I’m so surprised that it works at all, it’s always fun!) I want to start the Rebecca cardi desperately, but my stupid LYS has it (and the yarn I want to use) on back order. Sometime this week. Hopefully. Isn’t it hard when you see everyone else’s whizzing of their needles?
I love all the colors you chose. I too have started this interest in dyeing. I will try the Kool-Aide and keep checking back to see what you have created next. I love your blog BTW.
Your dyeing & spinning is absolutely stunning…very inspiring!
Have no fear…it will spin up beautifully colored. Great job…wish it was mine.
I can’t believe the beauty of your hand-dyes. I particularly love the blue and lemon/lime skeins next to each other - just gorgeous.
Oh I love your dyeing and spinning! Gorgeous!
I echo the comments above — the dyeing and spinning is lovely. A bit worried that you haven’t posted recently. I hope that it’s because you’re enjoying an incredible vacation in a wonderful place that has lots and lots of yarn.
Wow! (Tired of hearing that yet?) Those colors are really amazing, and it’s all photographed so beautifully! I lived in Vancouver for most of my school years so the mention of Granville Island makes me yearn just a little for a visit.
Just reading through your back entries before I get into the current ones, and I just want to say that you’re SO talented… I’m jealous of your spinning wheel, but I know it’s the person using it that counts. Beautiful dyeing, lovely yarns you’ve made!
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jordan shoes Heh. How it goes? Buy it all. ASAP. Last discount in your live (AAAAA!!!!!). Take a rest.
jordan shoes Heh. How it goes? Buy it all. ASAP. Last discount in your live (AAAAA!!!!!). Take a rest.