One of the best things about being familiar with dyeing and even spinning, is that you can take something not quite right, and flip it to be just want you want. Getting what you want from what you already have. Here we have 12 skeins of Rowans lucious Cashsoft Aran, in color 06,”Bud”. I love this yarn. So. Soft. I knit a sweater for my dad about a year ago in the dk weight, and I can’t get enough! I wanted to knit this sweater, (I love the hoodies!)
from Greetings from Knit Cafe´.
Only problem is, I do not like this too pukey yellowey color. I’d prefer a more limey green, with maybe a heathery look, something not so solid. Currently, cashsoft aran only comes in two greens, this one, and a brown, kind of army-ish green. Which I also don’t like.
Whatever is a girl to do!? Overdye it!!
Before I dyed all twelve, I divided up one of the skeins, and did some test dyes, then knit up some swatches. You can really see the differance, and what you can do to drastically change the color.
From the top, clockwise, the original color, then 100% evergreen, 5 tbl per the 12 grams I dyed for the swatch. Then 50% Evergreen and 50% Turquiose. I liked both, but wanted something lighter.
I was pretty nervous about dyeing all the yarn at once, but felt that would yield a more consistent color. Also, if there was too much variation, I could always alernate two rows from two skeins. (Mmm, fun) So I skeined all 12 balls, and left them to soak overnight. Then I added the dye to the pot, about 60% Evergreen to 40% Turquiose. This is important: when the pot reaches the appropiate temp, the dye will strike, and begin to absorb into the fiber. The dye will always strike and be deeper in color in the fiber closest to the heat source. So if I had just let it sit, the yarn at the bottom would have a huge dark green spot.
Here’s what I did; I added the dye to a pot of cold water, then added the yarn, turned on the burner, and stirred. And Stirred. I never walked away from the pot for long, and stirred about every 5-10 minutes or so, more frequently as the pot heated up.
So the whole thing didn’t take very long, and in the end result, the color is surprisingly even. Their are a few heathery patches, which is totally cool by me!
This is all 12 skeins in a huge skein, because it makes me happy to have a huge skein of green yarn!
I’ve started the sleeves, I always knit the sleeves first, and I’m loving it. So would I recommend overdyeing up a sweaters worth of yarn? Fuck No! Would I do it again? In a heartbeat! It’s really fun, just don’t have too too much expectation for the end result. You may love it, or you may end up overdyeing it a second time.
But look at my pretty green sleeves!!
This is a sea of stockinette, so I’ll definately be knitting socks, many socks, to break up any monotany that may (read:will) occur!
I’m spending my saturday night knitting my sleeves, and watching this:
Season Two! I love this show, but I’m still waiting for Season Three to get fun.
ETA: I’ve done a wee shop update for this week. I wanted to have some yarn available while I’m busy up in The D. Enjoy!
Wow, that is awfully clever. I am mighty impressed. The color looks great and you have awesome TV to keep you company. Sweet!
That is a beautiful green, and it creates a completely different feel than the original yarn’s color. Well done! And ah, PR season 2–Santino!!
mmm, that is a much better green! I’m not much for pukey puce, not my color either. Great job : )
Much better!
It’s so much better! It’ll be fun to watch your sweater take shape. 🙂
Wow, that is just amazing! I love the “after” green (but then, I have a green “thing” . . . love the meeny greeny yarn!).
That is so gorgeous, I so love that yarn! It’s so fun to just squeeze. As for PR, I hate that Bradley got booted but I’m waiting for things to kick up a bit too. (Oh, and I won’t actually make the MI fiber festival this year, but next year we are planning on going!)
Great stuff! Enjoy your “new” yarn.
yum! yummy green!
Lovely. Go Project Runway!
Great job! I love the new color.
Much better–love it!
Nice little lesson in dyeing. That color turned out gorgeous! So much better than that pukey yellow 🙂
I love the two new greens – very nice! The color really pops.
I like that hoodie too! I just bought the book. I think the yarn looks fab in its new color. Great decision, J 😉
Have fun with PR – I love that show!!
you truly have an eye for color, julia. that’s GORGEOUS! you are one of the pioneers in handdyed yarns out there and this is just proof in the pudding of why you consistently sell out your stock and have people begging for more. YUM for the bug skein o’ green!
The yarn looks GREAT! Congrats! What are you doing in Detroit? Are you sticking around for the MI Fiber Fest this weekend?
Once the dyeing bug bites, it seems to change the way you see all yarn.
I’ve considered overdyeing a few things myself. Too bad they’ve all been Acrylic.
You did a great job on the overdyeing! I need to keep that idea closer to the front of my brain file for when I see a great yarn in a sucky colour. For the price of an extra ball or two for swatching with …
What kind of dye(s) did/do you use?