More Kool Aid Dyeing

I was looking for dyes the other day online, I saw Joann's was having a sale, I rushed right over to pick up some dye 2.39 for 1/2 oz. I get over there and they don't have the dye, they tell me the closest super store that will have it is in Citrus Heights, I go home and give them a call to make sure they have some in stock, well they didn't, what the heck, what a girl gotta do to get some dye. So I decide to just order some and have it shipped to me. Well now frugal me has to do some searching, I found a company in San Rafael, Dharma Trading Co. I got 2 oz for between 3.98 to 5.75, I got a several different colors, fire engine red, chartreuse, electric violet, Kelly green, sapphire blue, brilliant yellow, deep magenta, forest green, blazing orange, plum dandy and alpine blue. I placed my order now I had to wait, but I was in no mood to wait, I wanted to dye wool today. I remembered I bought a bunch of Kool Aid for when the creative mood struck, well it's hear and it's not going to wait for dye order to arrive.

I grabbed a of couple hand fulls of wool from the different bags of wool I have. I soaked the wool in water while I got my jars washed and the dye mixed up.

I did a little more reading on Kool Aid dye and found out that water doesn't dilute the color. Color is based on the amount of Kool aid added as well as the amount of wool used.

I began by adding 2 oz of white vinegar, I add the color I used 1 packet for each color except for the lemonade which I used 3 packet, last time, I hardly got any color from the yellow. I filled up the jar half way with water the same temperature that I had the wool soaking in. Then I added as much wool as I could get in the jar with out overflowing the water. I put the canning jar, one at a time in the microwave I started with 4 minutes. I read that the color will completely be absorbed leaving you with either clear or a milky colored water, so when the microwave went off I would add more time if the water still had color to it.

My rainbow of color from left to right:  Pink Lemonade, Strawberry, Blastin Berry Cherry, Orange, Mandarine Tangerine, Mango, Pina Pineapple, lemonade, Lemon Lime, Ice Blue Raspberry and Grape

 In my reading I came across the process for using several different colors at the same time giving you sort of a rainbow effect. So here's what I did. I laid out a layer of wool for this first one I laid the wool in a spiral,I started at one edge and followed the edge of the pan spiraling in as I went along.Then I sprinkled the colors I wanted in sort of a pie piece sections.

I used lemon lime, ice blue raspberry, orange strawberry and black cherry.

 Next I added another layer of wool in a spiral.

Here's a little peek of the color in the middle. Now very carefully I added water so the wool was just barely submerged.

Sure looks pretty, now I didn't stop there I wanted more color. I added a packet of grape to the places that was still while. I didn't take a picture of my final product before cooking. I put this casserole pan in the microwave and cooked for 8 minutes, I added another 2 minutes for all the color to be absorbed and the water to be clear.

While this was cooking I caught a glimpse of this beautiful tree outside changing colors in the fall. I just had to wander outside and capture the image.

On my way back inside I got sidetracked with nature. I had to get a picture of the flower, I think its a Dahlia.  

My lovely healthy Aloe Vera. Vera started her life with me when I picked up her sickly body out of the gutter and planted it with my cactus, Bob.

Vera up-close.

I was so excited with my first multi colored wool, I decided to do a second one. I had to run to the store to see what other colors I could get. My second multi colored wool consists of Tangerine, Pink Lemonade Pina Pineapple, Mango, Strawberry and like with the first batch, I added more color I poured on lemon lime

Here's a peek before covering the color completely.

Here is the first batch of multi colored wool soaking in water. I really didn't have any residual color left in my clean water.

Here is my multi colored wool drying

Here is my second batch of multi colored wool, I love the colors.

It's really hard to get a good picture of all these colors, I'm almost getting a color shift. I'm using my tripod with no flash

All my single color batches of wool drying.

Once all my wool has dried I will fluff it all up. I've started this process the wools is so fluffy, like billowy clouds. It's so colorful, I love it.

My dye showed up in today's mail, yea!!. I have to finish getting this wool all processed before I get started on a second batch of dyeing.  To top it off I'll be off blacksmithing tomorrow, I need more time. I'm like a kid in a candy store running from one creative outlet to another and another and another...... Oh joy, I'm in creativity heaven