Dyeing wool with Kool-aid

Discussion in 'General Homesteading & Building' started by lhalfcent, Jun 17, 2011.

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  1. Jun 17, 2011 #1
    lhalfcent

    lhalfcent Supporting Member

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    thought I would show you my latest experiment. lol
    I made kool-aid dyes fixed with vinegar as the mordant.
    Then I leave them out in the sun for the day. Hopefully I will get some nice colors going.
    I have a plan to make some seriously colorful socks, mitts and hats. :p

    **btw I have no idea how to resize these pics so sorry if they are so large. :gaah:

    but enjoy! Anyone else do dyeing??? My next thing I want to try is unbleached muslim with kool-aid colors and or food colors and make a bunch of fat quarters for a quilt.
    I am currently gathering wild flowers, roots and barks to make natural dyes but need to keep gathering before I can show you all that.
    [​IMG]
     
    lhalfcent, Jun 17, 2011
    lhalfcent, Jun 17, 2011
  3. Jun 17, 2011 #2
    *Andi

    *Andi Supporting Member

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    Thanks for posting !!!!!

    I use a crock pot for dyeing mine ...also good timing, I'm get ready to dye some more wool. :woohoo:

    Can't wait to try it. (*Andi off to the root cellar for jars. ;) lol
     
    *Andi, Jun 17, 2011
    *Andi, Jun 17, 2011

  5. Jun 17, 2011 #3
    lhalfcent

    lhalfcent Supporting Member

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    LOL
    I just took out some spices and dyed with turmeric, cinnamon, yellow onion skins and have tomato leaves simmering which is suppose to give a blue hue. never did tomatoes leaves before. :scratch will see....
     
    lhalfcent, Jun 17, 2011
    lhalfcent, Jun 17, 2011
  6. Jun 17, 2011 #4
    *Andi

    *Andi Supporting Member

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    I've never tried tomatoes leaves before (and it wasn't in my notes :idea:) ... look forward to hearing how it turns out! :2thumb:
     
    *Andi, Jun 17, 2011
    *Andi, Jun 17, 2011
  7. Jun 17, 2011 #5
    rhrobert

    rhrobert Happy in the hills

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    Won't they get upset?

    Sorry, couldn't resist. Excellent idea, I never thought of koolaid as a dye, but I should have, it stains everything!
    Thanks
     
    rhrobert, Jun 17, 2011
    rhrobert, Jun 17, 2011
  8. Jun 17, 2011 #6
    lhalfcent

    lhalfcent Supporting Member

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    :eek: :D ROFL
    holy moly I didn't realize i wrote that wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
     
    lhalfcent, Jun 17, 2011
    lhalfcent, Jun 17, 2011
  9. Jun 18, 2011 #7
    neldarez

    neldarez Supporting Member

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    That was tooo funny.........I don't dye wool but just thought I'd mention that I stained fabric ( accidently) with beet juice.........would that work for ya??:dunno:
     
    neldarez, Jun 18, 2011
    neldarez, Jun 18, 2011
  10. Jun 18, 2011 #8
    lhalfcent

    lhalfcent Supporting Member

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    beet juice does work and makes a nice pink color.
    As for the tomato leaves... didn't make blue at all! didn't do anything.
    I wonder if there are certain tomato plants like cherokee purple or something that make that color. I am gonna research that one. kinda a puzzle.
     
    lhalfcent, Jun 18, 2011
    lhalfcent, Jun 18, 2011
  11. Jun 18, 2011 #9
    The_Blob

    The_Blob performing monkey

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    Here are some recipes I've seen/used:

    Purple: purple cabbage, blackberries/black raspberries

    Yellow: yellow onionskins and/or turmeric

    Brown: coffee grounds

    Red: cranberries, beets, crab apple bark or rose hips.

    Blue: red cabbage leaves, blueberries, elderberries, red onion skins or hyacinth flowers
     
    The_Blob, Jun 18, 2011
    The_Blob, Jun 18, 2011
  12. Jun 18, 2011 #10
    bunkie

    bunkie Member

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    i would think that the OSU Blue Tomato or the Blueberry Tomato leaves might make a nice color. their leaves turn a deep blueish purple in the sun.

    also, Red Miracle Corn has bright red leaves and the cobs are red. when one cooks the corn, the red color goes in the water, and can be used for dyeing.

    great thread!
     
    bunkie, Jun 18, 2011
    bunkie, Jun 18, 2011
  13. Jun 18, 2011 #11
    lhalfcent

    lhalfcent Supporting Member

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    here is a pic of two small amounts of fleece I dyed one with turmeric and the lighter one from strawberry juice.
    [​IMG]
     
    lhalfcent, Jun 18, 2011
    lhalfcent, Jun 18, 2011
  14. Jun 18, 2011 #12
    lhalfcent

    lhalfcent Supporting Member

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    OOOO great ideas! :2thumb:
     
    lhalfcent, Jun 18, 2011
    lhalfcent, Jun 18, 2011
  15. Jun 18, 2011 #13
    lhalfcent

    lhalfcent Supporting Member

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    ok thought i would share the kool aid colored fleeces i dyed. they are drying now but can't wait to start spinning them! I like dyeing fleece more than spun yarns as you can get interesting effects as different parts of the raw fleece will take more color than another part. kinda cool. lol just the artist in me I guess.... :p

    [​IMG]
     
    lhalfcent, Jun 18, 2011
    lhalfcent, Jun 18, 2011
  16. Jun 18, 2011 #14
    *Andi

    *Andi Supporting Member

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    I love all the different colors !!!!!!!!!

    Great job!:congrat:

    Right now I'm working with a deep purple and deep red with a blend with "gray". Jacob gives you many shades of gray. (but as a cappy, I love it! :p)
     
    *Andi, Jun 18, 2011
    *Andi, Jun 18, 2011
  17. Jun 18, 2011 #15
    lhalfcent

    lhalfcent Supporting Member

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    ooooo can't wait to see. will you post a pic? :2thumb:
     
    lhalfcent, Jun 18, 2011
    lhalfcent, Jun 18, 2011
  18. Jun 19, 2011 #16
    *Andi

    *Andi Supporting Member

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    I will try and post some pictures in the morning ... (Storms, pc a little slow right now)

    And I love the strawberry juice wool. Very nice!!!:D
     
    *Andi, Jun 19, 2011
    *Andi, Jun 19, 2011
  19. Jun 19, 2011 #17
    lhalfcent

    lhalfcent Supporting Member

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    we are in the zone for severe weather tonight thru tuesday sigh
    so much rain! my garden is really struggling. I think i might have to figure out a greenhouse type cover for it to keep the rain from pelting it so much.
    but with the weather the way it has been , i've gotten alot of spinning done! lol
    :p
     
    lhalfcent, Jun 19, 2011
    lhalfcent, Jun 19, 2011
  20. Jun 21, 2011 #18
    *Andi

    *Andi Supporting Member

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    Pictures didn't come out that well ... will try again ...:gaah:
     
    *Andi, Jun 21, 2011
    *Andi, Jun 21, 2011
  21. Jun 21, 2011 #19
    catsraven

    catsraven Meoww

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    ok thought i would share the kool aid colored fleeces i dyed. they are drying now but can't wait to start spinning them! I like dyeing fleece more than spun yarns as you can get interesting effects as different parts of the raw fleece will take more color than another part. kinda cool. lol just the artist in me I guess.... :p

    ooooooooooo perdy
     
    catsraven, Jun 21, 2011
    catsraven, Jun 21, 2011
  22. Jun 21, 2011 #20
    catsraven

    catsraven Meoww

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    oops 1 to many post
     
    catsraven, Jun 21, 2011
    catsraven, Jun 21, 2011
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