| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
Nadege
Chatty Knitter
USA
102 Posts |
 Posted - 08/01/2005 : 1:09:56 PM
|
I bought KnitPicks dye your own wool and used 5 pkts of Kool aide to 4oz of yarn. I followed directions carefully (vinegar, not agitating yarn much etc) and wanted a uniform color, but the yarn dyed unevenly. Some parts are light pink and other parts almost white. Even though this is not the effect I wanted, I'll pretend I wanted tie dye. I'm wondering if I did something wrong, or should I just buy "real" dyes?
Thanks
Nadege |
|
|
Ditzy Girl
Permanent Resident
USA
4712 Posts |
Posted - 08/01/2005 : 2:54:22 PM
|
Just buy more kool aid and redo. I don't think 4 packs were enough, more like 10 or 12 packs.
Zola, Seattle, Wash.
|
 |
|
|
truly violet
Permanent Resident
6397 Posts |
Posted - 08/01/2005 : 3:05:27 PM
|
that's why I use the straight FD&C colors...
they are really concentrated.
I actually try to dye in a heathered uneven way and end up with it too even.....
vi
the grass is always greener
none of this will matter in 100 years.......except I will finally be at my goal weight...vi
http://notashyviolet.blogspot.com/
|
|
|
|
Lissa
Permanent Resident
USA
4942 Posts |
Posted - 08/01/2005 : 3:30:53 PM
|
Yep, sounds like the little bit of KA you used struck where it landed, and exhausted right there.
Lissa
"Expecting the world to treat you fairly because you are a good person is a little like expecting the bull not to attack you because you are a vegetarian." --Dennis Wholey
Oh, and I now have a blog:http://knittnlissa.typepad.com/knittnlissa/ |
|
|
|
lemons
Permanent Resident
1692 Posts |
Posted - 08/01/2005 : 3:34:39 PM
|
I've had that problem, even when I used more Kool-Aid than recommended. Left it several hours, and it didn't take up all the color. Does it have anything to do with how wet the wool is when you put it in the dye bath? Could one part of a hank be wetter than another?
lemons of missouri |
|
|
|
Deni
Chatty Knitter
198 Posts |
Posted - 08/01/2005 : 4:10:19 PM
|
| Wouldn't it be better to put the KoolAid in the boiling vinegar/water mixture before you put in the yarn if you wanted it to be an even color all over? |
|
|
|
truly violet
Permanent Resident
6397 Posts |
Posted - 08/01/2005 : 5:10:38 PM
|
you should dissolve all the powder stuff ahead of time....( I would dissolve it in either boiling water or hot water/vinegar)
and then let it settle a bit....
do not pour out the settement into the bigger dye vat....
none of this will matter in 100 years.......except I will finally be at my goal weight...vi
http://notashyviolet.blogspot.com/
|
|
|
|
Deni
Chatty Knitter
198 Posts |
Posted - 08/01/2005 : 6:56:40 PM
|
| I was just thinking about the tutorial on this page -- the second one that starts down the page a bit with the title OVERDYEING / ONE-COLOR DYE / HOW TO DYE A HAT. That seems like the logical way to do one-color dyeing. |
|
|
|
lemons
Permanent Resident
1692 Posts |
Posted - 08/01/2005 : 10:08:27 PM
|
My process is to wet down the wool for at least 30 minutes in water that has a little vinegar, dissolve the Kool-Aid completely in the water and then put the wool into the dye, which has enough liquid to completely cover the wool. I've tried it with the wool quite wet and with some of the water spun out in a salad spinner; problems both ways. Kool-Aid was very well dissolved. I get paler stripes that occur near each other in the hank, which is why I think it's liquid related, rather than the sprinkly sort of stuff that might occur with incomplete dissolution of the KA.
lemons of missouri
lemons of missouri |
|
|
|
SerMom
Permanent Resident
Canada
6412 Posts |
Posted - 08/02/2005 : 12:03:04 AM
|
quote:
Originally posted by truly violet
that's why I use the straight FD&C colors...
they are really concentrated.
I actually try to dye in a heathered uneven way and end up with it too even.....
vi
the grass is always greener
Vi, where do you get the FD&C stuff?
I like variegation, too. That's why I ended up over-dyeing my HPY yarn.
Barbara
Healthy conservatism promotes the continuity of civilization, the importance of community, the dangers of thoughtless change. It does not, or should not, assert the right of white, Christian heterosexual males of a certain age to limit the rights of everyone else. The past 100 years of social history has been dedicated, on good days, to constraining the dominance of this minority. Yesterday was a good day: J.Ibbotson, June 29/05, on the passing of the same-sex marriage bill.
Photos:
Blog:
|
|
|
|
Lissa
Permanent Resident
USA
4942 Posts |
Posted - 08/02/2005 : 05:58:47 AM
|
It's not clear from your post whether you "cooked" the dyed yarn or not. The dye won't set unless it is either steamed or microwaved.
Lissa
"Expecting the world to treat you fairly because you are a good person is a little like expecting the bull not to attack you because you are a vegetarian." --Dennis Wholey
Oh, and I now have a blog:http://knittnlissa.typepad.com/knittnlissa/ |
|
|
|
MMario
Permanent Resident
2201 Posts |
Posted - 08/02/2005 : 06:09:44 AM
|
also - from your description of how the streaks of lighter colour appear - it may be your hanks are too tight - and either the water or the dye liquid is unable to penatrate the hank evenly. hanks for dyeing should be loose. while you don't want to agitate the wool while it is being dyed - it does help to give it SOME movement to make sure the dye liquid is penatrating evenly.
MMario - I don't live in the 21st century - but I play a character who does. |
|
|
|
Shelia
Permanent Resident
USA
2315 Posts |
Posted - 08/02/2005 : 06:14:16 AM
|
Well, I'm not the expert dyer that some are on the forums, but if you are mixing vinegar into the soaking water, it will cause the KoolAid dye to "strike" very quickly when the yarn comes into contact. Usually when an even dye coverage is desired, some type of a wetting agent is used to slow the strike down. I have used Synthropol, salt, and plain old liquid soap in the soaking water to do this. Remember, KoolAid already has acid in the powder, so additional acid will just cause the dye to take up even faster. You can always add vinegar to the dyepot after the yarn is already in it, if it's not exhausting fast enough.
Just some thoughts-
Shelia |
|
|
|
lemons
Permanent Resident
1692 Posts |
Posted - 08/02/2005 : 06:41:37 AM
|
Yes, I've cooked it. But the "striking" remarks make very good sense.
lemons of missouri |
|
|
|
Nadege
Chatty Knitter
USA
102 Posts |
Posted - 08/02/2005 : 08:49:33 AM
|
Thanks for all the info. I guess I'll just try again. I did put the vinegar in with the Kool Aide mixture before I cooked it. When I put in the yarn like magic the yarn soaked all the dye immediately, so perhaps I will eliminate the vinegar and use more Kool Aide mix.
Nadege |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
Topic Locked
