Happy Valentines Dye!

I tried my hand at something new today. Kool-aide dyed yarn. Here’s what I did.
I used instructions that were given out at last year's Knit Out at Mall of America (which is coming up this weekend again, *whoo* but no road trip to MN for me *sigh, sniff*). Anyhow, the instructions were published by Leisure Arts, but I could not find an online version of them, but I did find this one and another one with slightly different instructions.

The yarn specified was Patons Classic Wool Merino (Aran #0202). I had some in Winter White; 1 package of Kool-Aide per ounce of yarn, a microwave safe dish, dishwashing detergent and microwave. The skein was 3.5 oz, but I only used 2 packs of kool-aide. I used grape and fruit punch. Here’s how it went:

First I prepared the yarn by soaking it in warm water with a little dishwashing detergent – this opens the "scales" of the yarn (according to the directions).

So I let it soak and waited:

Good time to catch up on the internet…

Then I mixed the "dye"...

Once the yarn soaked for about 30 minutes, I rinsed it, squeezed it to get out all the excess water and then the real fun began:

I put the yarn back in the microwave safe dish, and spooned on the dye.

After all the dye was on and the yarn absorbed most of it; I put it in the microwave for 2 minutes on high; let it rest for 2 more minutes and repeated until the water was clear... which means the yarn has sucked up all the dye.

Then I let it cool and rinsed it again, squeezed out the excess water and hung it up to dry.

Voila… pretty hand-dyed yarn (oh, and it smells nice too!). (hee, hee). Once it’s completely dry I’ll post some pictures of the finished product!

Too fun! I might have to try again with another flavor… um color!

Oh, and lest I forget it is Valentines Day…. I have to show off what my sweetie got me:

Behold:

Yummy, yum, yum... a huge box of chocolate ..... He spoils me!