#kool-aid dyeing

May Dye Pot (a.k.a. Let’s Dye Some Yarn)

http://crochetmaven.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/May-dye-pot.mp4   Between meetings on Wednesday, I decided to dye some yarn. While standing up after a long period of sitting and fixing my lunch, I selected some colors of unsweetened drink mix purchased especially for this endeavor and put a pot on a stove. The color wasn’t as dark as I wanted so I added some red food coloring. While I worked…

BEST. THING. EVER. 

I swear I'm like a little kid. It was the first time and I enjoyed being a mad scientist (sort of). 

Here's the end result if you don't want to read how I did this. 

Now if you want to see how I did it, click the read more button.

Dyeing with Kool-Aid only works with animal fibers, so I picked up some Lion Brand Wool Fisherman's yarn (on sale. I got two for $10. They're priced $10 normally. Score.) 

I wrapped the skein around on my kitchen table a few times, using blue tape so I know where I started, and tied the two ends together. Then I put little bits of white cotton yarn every 5-6 inches so that the yarn wouldn't get tangled as I dyed it.

Ends up like this:

Then I took the crockpot, poured in enough water to submerge the yarn, and about a cup of vinegar. I put the crockpot on high so that the heating time also worked as soaking the yarn time. While it heated, I mixed one packet of grape Kool-Aid in 6oz of water. 

FRUITY NOSTALGIA.

Then pour the Kool-Aid in, put the timer for an hour, and wait. The water got a bit hot, so I put the crockpot on low. It still set the dye. When the yarn's completely soaked the Kool-Aid, the water will turn clear.

Just poured in the Kool-Aid...

Now it's clear!

I pulled out half the skein and stuck it in a bowl so I could wring out the excess later. I mixed another grape Kool-Aid in 6oz of water and poured that in. I wanted stripes. 

Just chilling... in the bowl...

NOT ENOUGH KOOL-AID. 

Put another hour and wait. After that was all done, I put that half in the bowl (the other half is now on a plate) and wrung that out. Then I set it on the counter to get it to room temperature. When it reached room temperature, I washed it gently with cool water and put it outside for it to dry. It's Vegas. The yarn dried in about thirty minutes. 

'Ello! I'm just going to chill out on this plate here!

And made sure the dogs couldn't get my yarn. I watched them when I let them out.

After that, I rewound the yarn into a skein (this time using a chair). It made an adorable little skein about the size of my hand. 

That's Johnny playing Black Ops in the background.

Voila! My first skein of yarn dyed wool! I'm really hoping this is enough to make a hat... Sorry for the blurry picture. My camera likes ruining my moments of pride. 

I named it 'Cheshire Cat' because I was going for its color. Turned out pretty well, if I do say so myself. I can't wait to try this again with Alexis. I GET PRETTY COLORS THIS WAY. XD