Another Night Of Dyeing

My aunt bought me 220 yards of worsted weight (at least I thought it was worsted weight. Closer investigation revealed it to be much closer to sport weight), Superwash Merino before she left, and I just finished dyeing it. (And some washed wool that happened to fall into a pot.)

The colors turned out much brighter than I thought it would, but I like it. This was made using the colors Sky Blue and Pink. We got the yarn at The Yarn Garden. A very nice shop.

Then I wanted to do the wool in brown, tan, cream, and turquoise.

The kicker was that I only had an ounce or so of wool. Getting that fine of a color gradation in a couple inches of water is difficult, if not impossible. If anyone knows any different, let them speak now or forever hold their fleece! The colors look really dark now. I’m curious to see what they shift to as they dry and are spun.

I also managed to dye the tips of two fingers a nice pastel shade of turquoise. What can I say? The jar of dye solution decided to hide some dye up under the lid. Woe betide any passer-by who trys to open it when it wants to be left alone! Maybe I should ask its permission next time. Although, if anyone happens to be walking through the kitchen then, they might decide that the dye fumes are getting to me and then I wouldn’t be able to dye anymore . . . sorry, dye bottle, you’ll have to live with it.

There was some extra dye left in the water that I used to dye the wool, so I dug up a skein of hand-spun wool scraps (my first attempt at the long-draw method) and popped it into the pot. Without soaking it first. Wow, I’m being really wild and adventurous tonight! It looks like it’ll come out sort of the same color as my finger tips. A robin’s egg blue. Pretty in yarn, not so nice on fingers. (I hope it wears off soon.)

I’m hoping to go to a spinning guild tomorrow. They’re having a talk on natural dyeing techniques. The natural dyeing process looks a bit expensive, but I’d like to learn more about it. This will be my first time at the guild and I’m eager to see what it’s like!