Dye-O-Rama Update

So my yarn is dyed, dried, packed (with a few color-coordinated goodies), and mailed.

I sure hope she likes it!

I have no photo to post, because I, in my infinite to-do list, didn't get to it. I have a similar skein to play with, and a mini-skein of the yarn I sent, if I ever get that horrendous knot untangled! But the point is, we'll have to wait for the arrival of the yarn, and see if my buddy posts a pic, so I can link to it for you.

My experience with this has been interesting. I set up a summer kitchen in my gazebo using a Coleman stove and an old table. I tried chemical dyes for the first time. I tried space-dyeing for the first time, in two different ways. I tried mixing colors, and blending. I tried to achieve a particular shade.

I learned that the blue dye I bought can take an hour to exhaust, while the yellow can exhaust in 15 minutes. I learned that a little goes a very long way with these dyes! I learned that I have much to learn about color mixing. I learned that no matter how many ties you think a skein needs, add two more. Tie them loosely. Always cap the dye when you're not using it. It takes way more paper towels to clean up than you think it will. It stains varnished wood far less than you'd think it would if you clean it up when it's still wet.

I learned that neighbors look at you funny when you wear blue nitrile gloves and a particulate mask in your gazebo. It's hard to keep the kid away when you're mixing the powders: they really want to see what you're doing.

Dyed skeins lok really pretty hanging in the sunshine when you're finished. There's a great sense of accomplishment that goes with having figured this out and made something that even if it didn't match what I had in mind, at least looks good and didn't felt.

So would I do it again? You bet.