I just had a random question about dying yarn with Koolaid. What's the longevity of the color for yarns dyed with Koolaid? I was thinking about giving it a try, but I wanted to know if the color would fade easily.
Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2006 1:04 am
I would think that as long as you were dying animal fiber it would last. My mother dyed some of her spun yarn with koolaid years ago to add color to a sweater she was making for one of my brothers. He wore that sweater until he grew out of it and passed it down to my youngest brother and the dyed bit was still as pink as it was the day she dyed it. There is a thread over at Craftster in one of the knitting subforums that deals with koolaid dying, the crafters there could probably give you better information than I can.
I don't really know but I just wanted to say that this topic was mentioned in one of the knitting podcasts I listen to.
Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2006 11:49 am
I've made several Kool Aid dyed items and not a one has lost its color. I'd have thought that it'd fade quickly, but nope! I'm sure it'd fade just like other dyes with many washings or long sunlight exposure, but under normal circumstances, you should be golden.
I've made several Kool Aid dyed items and not a one has lost its color. I'd have thought that it'd fade quickly, but nope! I'm sure it'd fade just like other dyes with many washings or long sunlight exposure, but under normal circumstances, you should be golden.
Okay, cool. 3nodding
Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2006 7:19 pm
I've been wondering how it works as well... not just how well it works, but how to do it. But i didn't want to go looking until i learned to spin better, and i was going to find out how well it worked before doing it. I'll have to give it a try sometime (after i've spun decent yarn. sweatdrop )
my mom made a hat for meh sister and i and she dyed my sisters with purple kool-aid and it has lasted for at least 5 years and still going on strong! It was made with sheep wool so i guess with an animal fibre it won't fade.
Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2006 1:20 am
kool aide won't dye non-animal fibers although I did read somewhere that it will dye nylon fibers. I experimented last Easter when I had the food coloring out anyway and the acrylic yarn I tried to dye didn't take the color well and most of it washed out when I rinsed the yarn anyway. The wool took the color well. I wish I had had some silk and nylon to experiment with too though.
I did some figuring since my last post and came up with the amount of time between when my mother dyed her (wool) yarn and the last time I saw the sweater she dyed it for. 14 years. The dyed bit of the sweater was still as pink as the day Mom dyed it. I'd have taken it home for my daughter, but the moths had gotten to it. I don't know what happened to it after that.
I've been wondering how it works as well... not just how well it works, but how to do it. But i didn't want to go looking until i learned to spin better, and i was going to find out how well it worked before doing it. I'll have to give it a try sometime (after i've spun decent yarn. sweatdrop )
Another thing that will help you with dyeing (with koolaid or other dyes) is to use a special detergent called Synthrapol. Use it to pre-wash, use it with the dye, and use it to rinse. It breaks up the surface tension of the water and helps rinse out excess dye so your item doesn't bleed later. It is also good for washing items that are known bleeders, or an item you've newly acquired that you suspect may bleed. In 1-2 washes it should get rid of all the excess dye and you can then wash your items with the regular wash. You can get it at Dharma Trading.
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