Since                                    powdered drink mixes are readily available and                                    reasonably non-toxic, it makes a great entrée                                    into the world of fiber dyeing in your own kitchen.                                    No specialized equipment is needed. I will,                                    however, offer a few words of caution. First,                                    avoid inhaling the powder; that wouldn’t be                                    good for you. Second - perhaps obvious since                                    you are dyeing things - it stains! Avoid getting                                    it on clothes and wear rubber gloves if you                                    don’t want your hands to evidence your work                                    for a couple of days. A little bleach or baking                                    soda should take care of your work surface,                                    though spreading out a garbage bag before you                                    begin is not a bad idea.
What                                    fibers to use:Kool-Aid                                    dyeing works only on animal fibers: wool, mohair,                                    alpaca — even human hair! It doesn’t work on                                    cotton or synthetics, though, so use pure wool                                    yarn for best results. Blended yarns containing                                    a high percentage of wool do work, but the non-animal                                    part of the yarn won’t take the dye and you                                    won’t get very saturated colors. You can use                                    this to your advantage: a cotton-wrapped wool                                    boucle will come out colored with a white wrap.                                    You need not use only uncolored yarns, either.                                    Start with a natural tweed or over-dye a pastel.                                    You can also dye rovings to great effect with                                    this method. Just card and spin a few colors                                    together once they’re dry. You’ll feel like                                    an artist in no time!
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Since powdered drink mixes are readily available and reasonably non-toxic, it makes a great entrée into the world of fiber dyeing in your own kitchen. No specialized equipment is needed. I will, however, offer a few words of caution. First, avoid inhaling the powder; that wouldn’t be good for you. Second - perhaps obvious since you are dyeing things - it stains! Avoid getting it on clothes and wear rubber gloves if you don’t want your hands to evidence your work for a couple of days. A little bleach or baking soda should take care of your work surface, though spreading out a garbage bag before you begin is not a bad idea.

What fibers to use:
Kool-Aid dyeing works only on animal fibers: wool, mohair, alpaca — even human hair! It doesn’t work on cotton or synthetics, though, so use pure wool yarn for best results. Blended yarns containing a high percentage of wool do work, but the non-animal part of the yarn won’t take the dye and you won’t get very saturated colors. You can use this to your advantage: a cotton-wrapped wool boucle will come out colored with a white wrap. You need not use only uncolored yarns, either. Start with a natural tweed or over-dye a pastel. You can also dye rovings to great effect with this method. Just card and spin a few colors together once they’re dry. You’ll feel like an artist in no time!

Click through for the rest.

(via edegraaf)

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