Kool Aid Dye Tutorial

Picture me dressed as the Kool Aid pitcher jumping out of your computer right now.  

Also picture that the costume is complete knit from yarn.

Thus begins a short but sweet tutorial on dyeing yarn with kool aid.

Grab a packet and find a wool yarn that is a boring color.

Step one involves taking the yarn and getting it into a skein.  There are many ways to do this.  I have a little device that turns and will spin the ball of yarn into a skein in no time.  You could use the back of two chairs or grab a partner who can sit still and wrap around their arms.

In the end, you should have something that looks like the above photo.  I highly recommend tying small pieces of yarn around the loops in several locations to avoid a real mess.  There is nothing more stressful than a knot.  Once you have this item looped together carefully, think about your color choice. What would turn this olive green into something spectacular?  Hmm, well perhaps that image of me in the knit Kool aid pitcher costume will come through your screen or jump through your kitchen wall with the perfect packet in hand.

BAM! Just like a sweet version of Emeril, make that Emeril mixed with Martha Stewart.  We will all kick this yarn up a notch.  Soak the yarn in water, so that it is absorbing the water and still sitting in a shallow bath of water.  I used the microwave safe casserole dish that was in the pantry.  Anything that is microwave safe and can give your yarn some room to breath will work well.  Also, please be aware that as this is kool aid, this is casserole is not forever tainted with some terrible chemical (well- then again, I don't know that Kool aid is organic by any stretch.)  It certainly doesn't ruin your microwave or your dish.  Also note that Kool aid will only work on animal fibers.  So cotton won't dye as it is a plant fiber.  Silk and wool are both animal fibers and will absorb the kool aid color.

The next step after soaking, is to sprinkle the Kool aid onto the yarn in whatever manner you believe will yield a cool effect.  Better breathe if you are a perfectionist, because a dye bath is full of surprises.  

You are likely to get something completely unexpected and with any luck, better than what you started with.

Once you have sprinkled on your Kool aid it is time to microwave.  Place the container into the microwave and set for 4 minutes.  Once through allow to rest for about the same amount of time.  

Repeat these steps until the water surrounding your yarn is clear.  Once the kool aid has been absorbed out of the water, you should have thoroughly pulled the dye into your yarn.  

Then you should run cool water over the yarn and allow any excess color to run out.  Once the yarn is cool to touch, carefully pull the skein out of the dish, so as not to disrupt the nice shape and create a tangle.  Ring it out in the sink until it is as dry as you can get it.  I then hang the skein in the bathtub or if you have a handy dryer rack you can allow it to dry on the rack.  

Once the skein is completely dry you may want to get it back into a ball in order to use it for knitting, crochet or as a cat toy.

Best of luck and more images to follow of finished products!