What would you do?
Yesterday, I described our dyeing experience and showed you Mom’s skeins. Today, I wonder about possibilities.
I’m sort of kicking myself for dyeing my skeins different colors. For some reason I thought that each skein was 400 yards, when it was actually 400 yards each person. Experimentation was my agenda that day and I didn’t really think things though.
Even before class was over, I was already looking ahead to further adventures in dyeing, specifically overdyeing. The pink and greens are rather bright. And there’s the pearl/purple debacle.
I thought it might be interesting to try a blue overdye with one or both of the skeins. Maybe another color would be better. Alas, I don’t have appropriate space for dyeing and my parents’ kitchen is tiny. Thinking about it, their laundry room might work better if I can manage to clear enough space and get the old microwave to work. Maybe this summer I could try for a dye session?
What would you do?
Leave them as is: What would you knit? Mismatched Dobby socks? Find another color to knit with the green or pink for colorwork or mosaic socks? How about a hat?
Dye them again: What color(s)? Would kool-aid suffice, or should I use commercial dyes?
I’m interested in what you might do in this situation and any other ideas or suggestions you have. Thanks! : )
Tags: dyeing, shepherds-harvest, sock-yarn, yarn stash
Knit a Chevron scarf. :)
That is a dilemma. I love the yarn colors that were the result of your dying - but only 200 yards each?
Knit a very small blanket :)
Hi,I say keep the yarns you made as they are - I think they are beautiful - and consider dyeing some coordinating solids to go with. I’ve had great success with non-Koolaid food colors. There is a huge spectrum available, and they seem quite colorfast as far as I can tell. You just have to use animal fiber yarn and some vinegar in the mix to set the color. The Knitty article recently was quite helpful!
I’m not sure kook aid would work well for over dying. I’d go with acid dye if you can.
WWFD? (What would fuzzy do)…
Over dye, yes, definitely, you’d get more dye experience and who knows, maybe you’d find a perfect little niche in the laundry room to set up shop.
I am a HUGE fan of fraternal twin socks! I say find a complementary color and make stripes or do a fun fair isle. Make the pattern same and you’ll have your very own frat twinsie socks.
Kool-aid does offer less than satisfactory results much of the time. And then your socks smell sweet when they are wet. The country Classics dyes we use work fairly well, and are available on-line, but Chris is right, you’ll end up with a huge amount. I guess you’ll have to join us sometime.
If you really aren’t loving them I’d go for overdyeing. The blue is a safe color for both skeins and would help unify them even more than the pearl being in both. Then I’d perhaps recommend combining them in one pattern. A few of the Sock Madness patterns (many of which are offered up free from the designers) used two different colors of hand paint yarn.
Knit baby clothes. Sock yarn is the perfect gauge for something cute and small.
how about entrelac sock or scarf?
or Noro Silk Garden Scarf Pattern from Noro.
I don’t know anything about dying, so I would just use the yarn for something.
What about either 1) tiny socks for little people-two pair, or 2) big people socks where you alternate each yarns each round?
No! Don’t koolaid overdye! Baaaaaaad idea.
I’d just make fraternal socks :) they match! Grey! Heeeeeeee. Or you could make a chevron scarf. Why not?
I agree with the other Nicole that they’d be great for baby clothes. I think they’d look good overdyed, too.
No! Don’t do KoolAid!! Grey would work for doing heels/toes/cuffs, if you wanted to coordinate another color.
Some places have some Cushing’s dyes (Depth of Field used to - don’t know if they still do) - they are in small packets, so you wouldn’t end up with tons of dye containers. You can set up outside, in a garage or something, too - that’s what we do at Jeanne’s. An old electric steamer or rice cooker can work really well for setting dye.
Or if we get a chance to work out communication, you could dye with us sometime! :)