There was a story in one of the textile magazines when I was first spinning: the lady who was writing the piece said that the postman had come running into the kitchen looking most distressed. The children had answered the front door and when he asked where their mummy was, they had dutifully replied that she was "dyeing in the kitchen".
Of course, he found the lady busily stirring a batch of colourful dyepots and not lying on the floor gripped by a heart attack! I have no idea if that story is apocryphal or not but it still makes me laugh. I suppose I am easily amused.
Anyway, it set me thinking about further ideas for the summer. I started last week with some ideas for some Summer Knitting and I intend to continue for the whole of this month to suggest ways in which we can get our textile 'fix' while still enjoying all the other pleasures this season brings.
Of course, he found the lady busily stirring a batch of colourful dyepots and not lying on the floor gripped by a heart attack! I have no idea if that story is apocryphal or not but it still makes me laugh. I suppose I am easily amused.
Anyway, it set me thinking about further ideas for the summer. I started last week with some ideas for some Summer Knitting and I intend to continue for the whole of this month to suggest ways in which we can get our textile 'fix' while still enjoying all the other pleasures this season brings.
So here's an idea for a project where the kiddies can get involved too – dyeing your own yarn! I know, your first reaction is to think of dye splashes all over their best outfits and a mess on the floor that will take weeks to clean off. However, it can be done.
Our two girls always had a great time 'helping' me with dyeing. They gladly fetched and carried water, pre‐washed skeins of yarn while standing on a small stool at the kitchen sink, weighed out batches of fleece ready for the dyepot and giggled helplessly every time I ended up splashing dye on the walls or all over myself!
You need very little equipment to start dyeing and it is immensely satisfying to see something change colour right before your eyes. All you need is a good‐sized stainless steel saucepan with a well‐fitting lid, a couple of slotted spoons, a Pyrex measuring jug, a few small plastic bottles to store your dye stock solutions and a pair of rubber gloves.
Our two girls always had a great time 'helping' me with dyeing. They gladly fetched and carried water, pre‐washed skeins of yarn while standing on a small stool at the kitchen sink, weighed out batches of fleece ready for the dyepot and giggled helplessly every time I ended up splashing dye on the walls or all over myself!
You need very little equipment to start dyeing and it is immensely satisfying to see something change colour right before your eyes. All you need is a good‐sized stainless steel saucepan with a well‐fitting lid, a couple of slotted spoons, a Pyrex measuring jug, a few small plastic bottles to store your dye stock solutions and a pair of rubber gloves.
Then the only other items you will need are a bottle of white vinegar and some dye. I use Cushings acid dyes which come in small packets ready to prepare your stock solution. Or your can explore the contents of your kitchen cupboards for Easter Egg dyeing kits or Kool‐Aid drink mixes which also do a great job of dyeing wool. The yarn in the photo above was dyed with indigo which is also great fun to work with.
So here's an easy dye project that will be immensely fun both for you and the kiddies: kettle‐dyeing some yarn ready for a pair of socks. Have a look at this blogpost and video from Rebecca at ChemKnits: "How to make a tonal kettle‐dyed yarn". You will want to get your own dyepot running the minute the video finishes!
So here's an easy dye project that will be immensely fun both for you and the kiddies: kettle‐dyeing some yarn ready for a pair of socks. Have a look at this blogpost and video from Rebecca at ChemKnits: "How to make a tonal kettle‐dyed yarn". You will want to get your own dyepot running the minute the video finishes!
Kettle-dyed yarns have a wonderful range of tones and gradients along the skein and give really interesting effects. The photo above shows the Mentmore Socks which has a method for combining several skeins of yarn to give some wonderfully tonal socks.
Have a look at my earlier blogposts here and here for some great ideas on how you can knit some wonderfully tonal-dyed socks of your own using your very own hand-dyed yarn!
Until next time – Happy Knitting!
Moira
Have a look at my earlier blogposts here and here for some great ideas on how you can knit some wonderfully tonal-dyed socks of your own using your very own hand-dyed yarn!
Until next time – Happy Knitting!
Moira
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