Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Over the weekend I had the opportunity to create my own personal hand dyed fiber "for the very first time" *singing Madonna's L.ike a V.irgin!
*get ready for lots of pics!*
Jet was a great hostess with all the mostess! :oD
She knew I had been wanting to try out dyeing yarn and invited me over to try it out!
I quickly went out and bought some Fishermen's Wool that is 100% pure and all natural.
What I didn't think about until the last minute was that it needed to be turned into a hank for dyeing! Doh! ;op
So I made one!! A very messy one! LOL All 465 yds! Haha!
Cristi helped me out since I was new to this whole entire process!
She even fed me dye formula bottles for my hunka hunka of wool! Haha!
Well before you can dye the wool it has to soak in water and vinegar until it is saturated
Then you can mix up dyes and have some fun!
There were acid and kool-aid dyes to choose from so you can make all kinds of color concoctions!!
I went all out and picked the acid dyes. Had to quickly scratch my memory on remembering that the basic primary colors of red & blue makes purple! ;op
Heather helped this clueless novice dyer out in giving me permission just to go for it!
And I did! I started mixing and squirting that dye all over my wool!
I was smart and wore dark clothes that I wouldn't mind messin' up ;op
Of course I had to make a red and purple combo! I am leaning strongly towards making a Lady E or a baby one with this yarn.
Once your yarn is thoroughly dyed (and it took mine forever since I had so much!) 
You wrap it up in saran wrap ready to be cooked for about 25 minutes or so!
That is a double steamer! The plastic wrap locks in the dyes while cooking up.
You then take it out of the steamer to cool off for a minute
To be hanged up for drying
Here are my 2 hanks I dyed
My first hank (that is my fav) came out darker than my second one and I can't wait to wind them up into cakes.
But they gotta dry
and dry some more
I can't wait!
Thanks ladies for dye-virgintizing me!! ;op
Girl, that first picture had me CRACKING UP!! All that yarn!!! LOL! Glad you had fun!!!
You are always experimenting and I think its great!
Keep it up!
Now that you have jumped into the dye thing, you will not only be non virginized but a trollop!!!!!
Love your colorway, can't see it in the cake and then on the needles.
LOL at hanging freshly dyed yarn on a white fence---- very bold!
Can't wait to see what you make with them
I can't wait to see the Lady E from them, or whatever it becomes if this great yarn tells you it wants to be something else :).
Love your Ponchita, hope it's ok that I made a link to her: http://fabelaktiv.blogspot.com/