Last night I ventured for the third time into the world of Kool-Aid dyeing. Let's cut straight to the photos, shall we? These two are a little more vibrant than the actual yarn. It's been so cloudy that color accuracy is a distant memory here at Fig and Plum:
As you remember, I was going for red-blue-brown. The brown turned out more like mustard yellow. I used 4 packets of orange and one purple, but the color still didn't really saturate the yarn. As for the other colors, the red is too neony for my taste. I used 4 packets cherry and one black cherry and a shake of Grape. Next time they should be switched - 4 of black cherry and one of cherry. The blue is like 4 packets Changin' Cherry, one Blue Moon Berry, and a shake of grape.
Here it is wound up. The colors are more accurate here:
For the grand finale, here we have several rows knitted in the chevron portion of Grumperina's ever-popular Jaywalker socks (plus proof in the second photo that the sun really does come out in Brooklyn, if only for a moment!):
Side 1
Side 2
You really should click on this one and view the large version to see what sunlight can do for your camera's focus... if only I could get such sharpness all the time!
The colors are growing on me. I actually like side 1. The colors on side 2, however, bring a "yuck" look to my face. I'm just not crazy about it. A better blogger would post a photo of me making the yuck face at the knitting (scroll down to see Sandra ably demonstrate). But alas, I'm home alone, and much too unmotivated to use the self-timer.
I was going for each color lasting 2 rows, and it turns out each lasts about 1.5 rows. This may be rectifiable, actually. My extremely narrow feet may call for a smaller needle or even a smaller modification of Jaywalker, because the circumference of this piece looks big. Or it may be that in a straightforward stockinette sock, the stripes work out better. Either way, the shortening probably happened when the big skein was made. It seems very difficult to get that big skein at a tension that mirrors the relaxed yarn. Next time (because we've already established there will probably be a next time, see below) I may just add a foot or so to the overall measurement to account for the tension that will inevitably be there.
You know, each time I dye my own yarn, it's fun for about the first half, and for the second half I wonder why I don't just buy hand-dyed yarn instead of spending lots of time doing it myself, since the results (while nice) are usually not what I envision. While walking around in a circle a million times to re-skein the yarn, I came up with the following amateur cost-benefit analysis equation (now all you mathematicians and economists out there - Lauren and Mike, I'm looking at you - this is a dramatization, you know, like on that show about unsolved mysteries):
($18 for a skein of Vesper / X hours of my time)
+ enjoyment accrued from doing it myself
- frustration about walking around in a big circle a million times
- mild disappointment at result
--------------------
= probably not worth it considering the value of my time (which isn't actually that much)
But then, the problem with cost-benefit analysis is always that people don't act rationally. So the result is probably that I will, in fact, attempt kool-aid dyeing again in the future, despite the results of the fabulous little calculus above.
Anyway, you haven't heard the last of this latest kool-aid-a-thon, so stay tuned. Sarah's started her socks while vacationing in New Mexico, and has promised to let me take photos of her progress upon her return. We tried a much more elaborate stripe sequence with hers, so I'm anxious to see it myself!
UPDATE:
Above you see a bona fide start of the real Jaywalker pattern. The yarn is really growing on me, even though these socks are going to be totally obnoxious. Everyone needs a pair of obnoxious socks!
Posted by jess at January 5, 2006 11:55 AMrationality is over-rated!
I think the yarn looks great, though I hear ya on the whole neon thing. I like the striping sequence as well
I've never been thrilled with kool aid results either, but I've found that grape mixed with anything other flavor will tone it down a bit. I've also tried wilton's cake dye and been happier with the color selection.
Posted by: Shannon at January 5, 2006 1:05 PMNice results. The colors are good together and the striping is quite pleasant. Overall, I think you did a great job (and jaywalker looks great).
Posted by: Stephanie at January 5, 2006 1:16 PMNow I'm intrigued - how on EARTH do you get multicolor dye to look like that?
Posted by: Danielle at January 5, 2006 1:37 PMI know it may not be your favorite, but that sock yarn is mighty cute! As for the cost analysis, no one is pretending that doing this is in any way rational, not even you :).
Posted by: grumperina at January 5, 2006 1:48 PMyou forgot:
+ enjoyment from blog documentation
+ knowledge/info exchanged gained via comments
+ possibility that at some point the sum of - disappointment at results will be
:)
love the blog, love the yarn.
Love the yarn. I agree about the black cherry switch, though your results look very nice. Might even do more grape in the blue if it was mine. Really like the mustard color. How did the blend come out where the colors switch? Looks nice on Jaywalker and the striping came out cool, even though not what you were wanting. :)
Posted by: Laura at January 5, 2006 2:30 PMIt looks great! I discovered with dyeing that I have to sort of widen my expectations. :)
Posted by: Chris at January 5, 2006 2:33 PMWow, that is great looking yarn!
I haven't even begun to contemplate dyeing my own yarn - despite living in a country with loads of sheep, good yarn is hard to find. (Haven't seen Kool-Aid here either, and the local powdered drink mixes are waaaaay lighter on the artificial colours - good for the body but not for the yarn.)
I am mega-impressed. You could add into your equation:
+ provision of inspiration and envy of other knitters.
I like those colors! My plan to venture into Kool-aid dying over the holidays went down the tubes. Hopefully one of these weekends I'll get to it.
Posted by: Angela at January 5, 2006 3:10 PMi don't know how bright and saturated you want your colors, but here's something i recently discovered with kool-aids: whether you dip-dye the yar or whatever, stick the chunk of the skein you just dyed in a sandwich bag, pour some dye mixture into the bag and seal it by tying scrap yarn at the edge of the color region. you can cut the bottom of the sandwich bag to make a sleeve to cover the middle color (that's not at the edge of a skein). when you steam, microwave, or whatever setting method you use - the yarn will actually absorb all the dye, even if it refused to before. let it sit for a few hours before you open and wash/dry the yarn. voila! very very saturated colors.
good luck!
I think your sock and yarn look great Jess...I love the bright colors!
Posted by: Debi at January 5, 2006 5:19 PMI love the results! I've thought of a pink/brown combo, but have no faith in Kool-aid to come through. I second the suggestion of Wilton Cake dye...it's definately easier to get more sohpisticated colors (like brown or olive)I also second the ziploc bag suggestion...I've recently tried it and it prevents contamination much better than plastic wrap.
Posted by: Tara at January 5, 2006 6:27 PMOh, Jess. I {heart} this yarn. It is so lovely. And you *made* it. I am still entirely too chicken to try it, although the Kool-Aid packets are sitting right in my kitchen (where they've been for six months)...
Posted by: Cher at January 5, 2006 6:33 PMYour yarn is a success!
Posted by: steff at January 6, 2006 6:45 AMwilton icing colors are the way to go. herehere. the range of colors is fabulous and much less frustrating than the kool aid pallete, which is intended to appeal to children, not the mature and discerning knitter, right? i dropped like thirteen dollars for the uber deluxe set of 12 pots of colors at michaels (sans 40% coupon fromt he sunday paper cos i am dumb) and 14.50 for two skeins of brown sheep sport and one skein of worsted (not at michaels), and it was totally messy as all hell [gloves would have prevented the dying of the hands pink and green] and one of the knitting highlights of 2005. i enjoy the colorway you've created, but for more painterly color control, i uh third the wilton motion.
Posted by: erin at January 6, 2006 9:45 AMMaybe not what you were looking for in terms of color, but still gorgeous!
Posted by: Gina at January 6, 2006 11:28 AMAll in all, I say that the yarn dyeing was a complete success! The great thing about socks is that you only have to show them off if you want to, and whether or not the colors are your favorite, we all know the benefits of a hand knit sock.
An unrelated aside: have you ever been embarrassed to buy the Kool-Aid? I get it when it's on sale and I always feel like Crazy Kool-Aid Lady. I always feel like saying, "But, I'm not going to drink it!"
Another unrelated comment: I just bought an account from LivingDot - they are the best! Thanks for the recommendation.
Posted by: Amanda at January 6, 2006 1:53 PMI think the yarn looks great! I tried kool aid for a while but was very frustrated at the results...way too 3rd grade 80's punk! You should switch to lanaset dyes - much better and much more cost effective in the long run.
Posted by: Marie at January 6, 2006 2:09 PMI did some kool-aid craziness, too. I used A LOT of grape and got better results. Maybe give the entire thing a bath in more purple...
And, hey, despite the results, the process is fun. You could say the same thing about knitting in general, too. Heck, it's almost always cheaper to buy a sweater rather than knit it and you can be sure it's going to fit but where's the fun in that?
Posted by: Malia at January 6, 2006 2:57 PMHave you considered getting a few colors of acid dyes (like Jaquard)? Dharma Trading has so many options that it can be a little overwhelming but they are a great resource.
You can control your colors way better with "real" dyes though you can still get the unexpected. But there are many guides to the colors you can get from mixing the various colors. Sara Lamb and Deb Menz put together a huge collection of samples that they dyed that you can buy. Deb Menz's book Color in Spinning is a great resource just for the dye info even if you are not interested in spinning.
I don't do tons of chemical dyeing so I don't know all the books out there but there are tons. I only do natural dyeing instead. Regardless, keep it up! You are doing beautiful work.
P.S. I loved the Norwegian Stockings!
Posted by: Brooke at January 6, 2006 4:13 PMWow! That looks a lot like the STR Farmhouse colorway I'm using to make Jaywalkers in! I'm going to have to try out your "recipe" and make some for myself. As much as I love STR, my wallet isn't loving it so much :-)
Posted by: Renata Stauder at January 6, 2006 9:26 PMI dropped like thirteen dollars for the uber deluxe set of 12 pots of colors at michaels (sans 40% coupon fromt he sunday paper cos i am dumb) and 14.50 for two skeins of brown sheep sport and one skein of worsted (not at michaels), and it was totally messy as all hell
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