| Variegated Yarn |
| Variegated Yarn |
From "Knitty Gritty"
episode DKNG-305 |
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Variegated yarn knits up beautifully, and the colors can be breathtaking. So why not dye your own?
Materials:Cushings dye
white vinegar
glass or other nonreactive casserole dish
plastic cups
apron
wet sponge for cleaning up spills
rubber gloves
dust mask
pH strips
optional: water softener Making Variegated Yarn Rainbow-dyeing, tie-dyeing, sprinkle-dyeing and casserole-dyeing are all names for the same process of getting many different colors into yarn. The recipe below uses Cushing dyes and will work on unspun fiber, yarn or cloth (in lengths or made into clothing). All that matters is that the fiber content be animal-based: silk, wool, alpaca, camel or angora. Vinegar Soak Soak fiber to be dyed in a vinegar water bath with a pH of 4.5 to 5.0. It will take about a tablespoon of vinegar per quart of water, but since the acidity of water varies, check with pH paper and adjust if necessary. Strips to measure pH are readily available at many drugstores and retail outlets. Dye Liquor For a medium shade, mix 1/4 teaspoon dye in 1/2 cup water. Use more dye for darker shades, less for lighter. Mix as many colors as you want (figure A). Dyeing Remove fiber from vinegar soak and gently squeeze out excess water. Lay it in a nonreactive baking pan (figure B) (enamelware, glass and stainless steel are good; aluminum, copper and steel are not). Arrange the fiber as you like: fold, tie, twist, spiral and/or zigzag--whatever pleases you. Apply the dye with a squeeze bottle, a syringe or a sponge paintbrush (figure C), or just by pouring it on the area you choose. Remove excess from the pan with a syringe.
HeatingAfter dyeing, the yarn will need to be heated to about 220 degrees Fahrenheit for one hour. Carefully put the yarn in a black plastic bag (figure D) and place the bag in the sun or in the trunk of a car for a couple of hours (assuming that the sun is shining and the car is hot!). You can also place the yarn in a disposable poultry-baking bag, then put it in a slow cooker and leave overnight (remember not to use any of your dyeing tools for cooking). Rinse Rinse out excess dye from the yarn and wash with a mild soap. Rinse again well and hang to dry. You are ready to knit with your own hand-dyed yarn (figure E)!
These instructions are adapted with permission from the Earthguild website (see Resources list, below).Web Extras Leg Warmers to Dye For Simple seed and rib stitch show off your hand-dyed yarns fabulously. Knit yarnovers in the ribbing to allow a ribbon to thread through the top. Find instructions for the "Leg Warmers to Dye For" on the Interweave Press website at www.interweave.com/spin/projects/Legwarmers.pdf.
RESOURCES :
The Dyer's Companion
By Dagmar Klos
Interweave Press, 2004
Interweave Press Inc.
Website: www.interweave.com
The Twisted Sisters Sock Workbook
By Lynne Vogel
Interweave Press, 2002
Interweave Press Inc.
Website: www.interweave.com
Hands on Dyeing
By Betsy Blumenthal and Kathryn Kreider
Interweave Press, 1988
Interweave Press Inc.
Website: www.interweave.com
Color Works
By Deb Menz
Interweave Press, 2004
Interweave Press Inc.
Website: www.interweave.com
Euroflax Geneva yarn
Louet Sales
Web: louet.com
E-mail: info@louet.com
Leba kid mohair/wool blend yarn
Louet Sales
Web: louet.com
E-mail: info@louet.com
Dye starter sets and Cushing dye
Earthguild
E-mail: inform@earthguild.com;
catalog@earthguild.com
Website: www.earthguild.com
GUESTS :
Liz Gipson
Managing editor, Handwoven magazine
E-mail: lizg@interweave.com
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