How To Use Kool Aid to Dye Wool Yarn
I can Use Kool Aid to dye wool yarn?
Yes, you can! Jump into the fun and unlimited creativity of yarn dyeing with this simple guide. Using some wool yarn and items you probably have in your kitchen already, you can create something beautiful and completely unique!
This guide is part of the Beast to Blanket class I first taught to a group of junior high students in 2008. After several requests, I published the instructions to an old blog, and it became one of the most popular articles on the blog. I was amazed to see it’s still one of the first search results on Pinterest for Kool Aid dyeing yarn.
The demand for the class has grown, and will be published and offered separately, but I wanted to polish up the tutorial and offer it here on this website and in PDF.
More than ever, we’re all feeling the pull away from the mass-produced, carbon-copy, speedy-does-it mentality that seems to dominate the world. It’s a gift to find time and space to create something slow, unique, and beautiful. This guide makes it simple, and I’m happy to share it with you!
How to Use Kool Aid to Dye Wool Yarn
Materials:
o 1 glass quart jar with lid
o 2-4 packets of Kool Aid mix in colors you like
o white vinegar
o water
o undyed wool yarn
About the yarn: I used ½ of one of these for each of my students. (Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Worsted Bare –please note these are both affiliate links). Dyeing yarn is the process of binding colored dye particles to yarn fibers. Wool is a protein-based fiber that makes a strong, greedy bond with dye particles in an acidic environment. The higher the percentage of pure wool in the yarn you dye, the more material there is for the dye to “strike” and the better your results will be.
Procedure:
1. Wind your yarn into a very loose skein and soak in warm water for at least 30 minutes. This step makes sure all the yarn fibers are saturated and better able to accept the dye.
2. In the quart jar, mix the Kool Aid powder with 1/4 cup white vinegar and then fill the jar to the halfway mark with warm water.
3. Put the sopping wet yarn into the jar. If you want a more even dye, make sure the yarn does not get smooshed up against itself or the jar. You may choose to use a larger jar. I happen to like the variations I get when the dye can’t quite get to every spot equally.
4. Fill the jar to the very top with more warm water if necessary (all the yarn should be covered), and put the lid on tight! Place your jar in a sunny spot.
5. Check your jar after a few hours. When the water inside the jar is clear, the dyeing is done. Be sure to check the bottom of the jar, as the dye will sink to the bottom. The top water will be clear before the water at the bottom. It’s ok to shake the jar periodically if you like. Again, I really like the variations, so I keep the shaking to a minimum. Some dyes take longer than others to “take,” and the warmth of your weather will have an effect, too. It’s okay to let the yarn sit for a couple days.
6. Once the dye has been absorbed, carefully remove the yarn from the jar and rinse it very gently in cold water. This will remove any remaining dye and most of the vinegar smell. Hang it up to dry.
7. Once your yarn is completely dry, it can be wound into skeins or balls, ready to knit, crochet, or felt!
Troubleshooting
The only troubleshooting I’ve ever had to do with this method has been when the water doesn’t go clear. If that’s happening to you, check first to be sure the yarn you started with was undyed wool. If you try this with other fibers, you will not get these results. You CAN do what’s called “overdyeing” already-dyed wool yarn, and that can also be great fun, but your results will depend on what happened to the fibers before you started playing with them.
If you’re using undyed wool, but the dye still isn’t striking, then it’s time to change the other variables: heat and acidity. Try adding more vinegar straight to the jar to increase acidity. It won’t hurt the yarn a bit. If the sun is hiding or you’re fighting cooler temperatures, you can also gently toss the contents of the jar into a saucepan and put it on low heat for a short time. Watch it carefully, and be wary of inhaling vingear fumes. It’s NOT pleasant.
Finally, make sure you’re only using two to four Kool Aid packets per skein. There are limits to how much dye a skein of yarn can take. They may be high, but there are limits. You also always have the option of pouring out the liquid with some dye still remaining.
There are many possible variations on this procedure, and each dyer has their own preferences about materials and method, but the core reaction of dyeing is the same: Fiber meets dye in the environment required to make a chemical bond. In fact, all yarn dyeing follows the same principles, regardless of fiber or the scope of the dyeing production.
I hope you enjoy dyeing your own wool yarn and seeing the beauty you create! Who knows? Maybe you’ll be the next independent yarn dyer whose skeins I can’t wait to see in person during my Kiersten J Yarn Shop Hop!
Kiersten J
If you’d like a free, printable PDF of this guide, just click this button.
