Winter

Winter

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Dyeing Wool

 One of the reasons I don't hook rugs as much as I like is being the perfectionist that I am and in this case a character flaw. I never have the right colors, so I order them and then it isn't the color in my head. I end up using what I have but I am not happy with it. I was thinking this year I wanted to learn to dye my own wool. I do want to use natural dyes but in a pinch I thought why not use Kool Aid. This morning I got up went to the grocery store and bought Kool Aid, the girl checking my groceries held the packages in her hand and said, " Are you having a party?" I told her I was going to use it to dye wool. She thought that was awesome.
 I bought all of these packages and I could hardly wait to get home to try it. I had this really ugly hot pink piece of wool I decided that if it flopped it was no great loss, I knew I would never use hot pink for anything, ever. That lovely red at the top is my hot pink now this lovely shade of red for the roosters comb in my rug. I used Cherry Kool-Aid for the color. I soaked my wool in boiling water while I was measuring out 6 ounces of hot water, two ounces of white vinegar and a whole packet of Kool-Aid. After 20 minutes of soaking in hot water, I added the wool to the pot on the stove that was almost boiling.  and put it in the pot until it adsorbed all of the color.  I rinsed it and took it outside to dry.
Yesterday I got a order of a yard of white wool so I cut it up to make this orange, for this color I used one orange packet and one tropical punch. I added 12 ounces of water to 4 ounce to vinegar. I did buy some Rit dye because I needed some brown wool. I did the same and cooked it until the color was adsorbed too.
This is some of the brown. This was a really ugly color of tan, last year I bought a bag of odds and ends from a wool place and there were colors I could use but more that I couldn't use. So I dyed this brown.
I just feel like my whole world changed. I am so excited that I can do this now. I don't know why I was afraid to try it.
I didn't even make that big of a mess. I just had to share it because it was so much fun!
I think I have found my new favorite hobby. I have always just used coffee and tea to dye things but this is so much more fun. Not to mention the house smells so good, just like Kool Aid.
~Kim~

29 comments:

Dawn said...

KIM! What a SUPER IDEA!!!!!!
Now THAT would be a fun hobby:)

Sassafras and Winterberry said...

I think that dyeing is the best of two worlds...cooking and crafting!
Fun colors!
Hugs,
Courtney

Kim said...

I'm impressed. You are becoming more of a hooker everyday (teehee)

Jill said...

Fantastic!!

Kessie said...

Oh wow, what great colors! You could get a really vivid blue, too, if you wanted it. Now your world is broadened!

Meg said...

Yay! Isn't dyeing with Kool-Aid so much fun? I loved doing the bits of yarn I've done. And it does make everything smell good.

Gail said...

Black walnut hulls make a lovely brown.

Nancy said...

I am impressed.....I've wanted to try but just haven't but now I think you have given me the courage to try...

I love the colors you dreamed up....beautiful...

TexWisGirl said...

That is so cool! the red is vivid!

dr momi said...

I love how the red came out!

Dog Trot Farm said...

Beautiful colors Kim. I have never thought of using cool aid for dyeing wool, I do believe it is less expensive than the Cushing dyes that I tend to use. Very resourceful of you. A penny saved is a penny earned!

Alica said...

What fun! I'd say the colors turned out great!

Stephanie V said...

Dyeing wool is one of the great things I learned with rug hooking...I dye my own yarns for knitting, too. You're right - so much fun!

Julia said...

Kim, this is yet another side of you that surprised us. A full fledged hooker. Dying wool is so much fun because you can get the color you want and it's so satisfying. I can't wait to get back to it myself. Hugs. JB

Debbie said...

send me some of your energy, you have my address ;)))))

i needa get crafty!!!

Bonnie K said...

That is amazing. Will the kool aid colors stay in? Great job being creative.

Marti said...

This is the first time I have heard of using kool-aid as a dye. Makes you wonder what it does to your insides. How permanent is the color?

Pom Pom said...

Way to go! I like the Kool Aid smell, too!

Florence said...

Kim wow thank you for sharing your experience with this way to dye the wool. Florence

no spring chicken said...

I recently died some of my yarn with kool-aid and spinach water. It turned out a beautiful mulberry, the bad thing was that I tied the skeins too tightly so the dye didn't penetrate in the four places where the ties were. :(

I'm trying to decide how I will redeem it. Congratulations on your beautiful colors!

Blessings, Debbie

From Beyond My Kitchen Window said...

Great job on the wool dying. I never knew you could do something like this and have the result so beautiful.

Janettessage.blogspot.com said...

I heard the Kool-aid the other day and haven't heard it in years...we never drank it...so wow!! on finding a new use for it, I will have to remember it dyes...but I should remember that from hearing mother's talk about not drinking it on the carpet...way to go girl!!!!!!!!!!

Tami AKA My Kid's Mom said...

Great idea! Looking forward to seeing some of the finished rugs!

Susy said...

I just signed up to follow. We're miles, lifestyles, years, and talents apart ~ but I'm up the adventure (:

Sue said...

Kim, I am blown away with your innovation, you are something special! not to mention gifted, Kool-aid is certainly a lot less messy than regular dye, as I have never gotten the color I paid for, and it is cheaper.
Thanks for sharing.
Love,
Sue

myletterstoemily said...

you are amazing! will your pets lick
the wool? your children?

the colors are gorgeous!!!

Miss Debbie said...

You are amazing! Good job!

Homeschool on the Croft said...

This is great! I'd never heard of Kool-aid until last week when an Amrican-n-Britain who's on my FB began talking of dyeing with Kool-aid. I hadn't a clue what she was on about! ... until she explained. So, it seems this is the 'done thing' to do with Kool-aid!

Patrice said...

This had to be far less toxic than using regular dye. What a good idea! Now you'll have to show us what you make with the wool. Have a good weekend, Kim!