Dye Tip: Multicolored Skein

Whether this is your first time dyeing a multicolored skein or just looking to refresh your skills after a hiatus, this little dye tip may be helpful during your next dyepot adventure. This is a basic low-immersion dye process. I’ll start with the basic equipment needed and the procedures to get started but remember that you should always be cautious when dyeing—especially with powders—and use care before, during, and when cleaning up. I am not responsible for poor dye handling with this tip.

You’ll need:

·       Something to dye – like yarn, top, roving, hankies, etc.

·       Something to dye in – like a pot, crockpot, or gastronome (never use these this for food again)

·       Something to dye with – food coloring, easter egg dye, or professional acid dyes (Jacquard/Dharma/etc.)

·       Something to affix dye – like food grade citric acid or distilled vinegar; you don’t need both

Other items to have:

·       Gloves – washing up gloves (that can be used several times) or disposable ones

·       Apron – it’ll probably get ruined if dye splashes on you (it happens!)

·       Mask – none required if you use a water/dye solution or food coloring, but essential to wear N95 (niosh) mask if using professional acid dye powders (it can cause serious lung damage)

·       Jug – an old measuring cup with a spout or a squirt bottle without the lid

·       Utensil – a pair of sturdy chopsticks (if you don’t break the pair apart), old wooden spoon, tongs (again, never food safe afterwards)

·       Rags/sponges – cleaning is essential, but keep them separate from your other sponges, etc.

This is a low-immersion dye tip. Notice that the yarns have absorbed the water but you can’t see the water level.

When dyeing, it’s good to have an idea of your finished color. In this tip, I’ll take you from one basic color to a multicolored skein by dyeing in stages. It’s also fine if you have no clue where to start—you’ll come to a natural ‘finished’ state as you work with the dyeing.

Step 1: wet your materials. I do this in a basin with warm water and a drop of detergent. Let sit 10-ish minutes.

Step 2: remove the materials and refill basic with warm water and your citric acid. Soak 30 minutes.

Step 3: transfer your materials to your dyepot and cover with just enough water so the fabric/wool/yarn absorbs the water. Add in your vinegar if this is what you are using. Turn on the heat source.

Step 4: Pick your accent color. I chose olive green. I sprinkled mine as a straight dye solution. You can pour food coloring straight from those tiny bottles. If you use dyepowder, be careful (dyepowder is very light and can float and land on nearby/far away surfaces).

Let that sit 5-10 minutes.

Step 5: Once the accent color has mostly been set on your materials, begin making dilute colors. You can measure how much dye if you want, but if you put a little dye into jug and fill with water, it’ll allow you to pour over the surface without running out of dye.

You can also flip over the wool/yarn/fabric and dye the other side.

You can see that I’ve dyed several different skeins at the same time. I have used a concentrated green dye (Step 4) and two diluted amounts of pink and purple (Step 5). I also flipped everything over twice by this point.

Step 6: Let it sit 5-10 minutes, then make another dilute color to add. Do this process as many times as you want. I repeated Step 5 three times, once with pink, purple, and black.

Step 7: Hold it at a simmer for 30 minutes. Don’t let it boil or bubble too much. Silk is destroyed at temperatures in excess of 180F (not literally, but it will be brittle and dull). Wool will felt if it bubbles too vigorously.

Step 8: Allow to cool overnight. Rinse in cold water (because it has cooled to room temp!) and hang to dry.

The amount of black I finished with was very dilute and it gave a greyish purple finish. This toned down the berry-like brightness in some spots without losing the pale colorway I was aiming for.

Things to remember about dyeing:

·       Feel free to use your utensil to push the wool/yarn around, just be gentle. Tongs are great for flipping the material. You can also use the utensil to distribute the dye solution before it sets completely.

·       You can dye with the Step 4 or Step 5 principle only. If you repeat Set 4 three or four times, you’ll get a lovely speckled yarn. If you only use Step 5 three or four times, you’ll get a lovely muted color.

·       You can always intensify colors by adding more dye (saturation), alter value by adding black/brown (value), or shift hue by using other colors on the colorwheel (using blue to shift a bright orange into a muted version). You can’t make anything lighter or paler. If unsure, start with a little dye and only use black/brown sparingly to begin (or leave it to the last step).

·       If the color is starting to look horrible, use a saturated concentration of dark colors (blue, purple, brown, or black) and it’ll look much better afterwards. Sometimes we experiment too much and need deeper hues/saturation to make it useable for a project. It happens to us all.

·       If you end up using a lot of dye, have some white wool/silk/yarn/etc. handy to absorb any extra. Don’t waste it down the drain.

When you’re done, it is imperative that your wash basin, surfaces, and all utensils/pots get washed in soapy water. Do not eat/drink while dyeing (it’s safe to do in a different room and after removing your protective dyeing gear and washing your hands/face). Mop up spills immediately. You can use baking soda (or plain vodka/rubbing alcohol) to remove stains from plastic, ceramic, or metal counters, but be careful around wood. If in doubt, cover your work surfaces in a waxed tablecloth. Use the rag/sponge to wipe up drips. If you have nice floors, be sure to work with an old towel underfoot.

Just to reiterate, please use common sense when working with dyes, even if it’s all food grade. It can be very messy and it will stain clothes and wood. If you work with dye powder instead of a dye/water solution, PLEASE use facial protection in the form of a quality professional mask. Work safely and you’ll be happy to dye again in the future.

Tag me @expertlydyed on Instagram (or @JenniferBeamer2) to show off your creations!