More Koolaid anyone?

I spent a lovely Sunday afternoon making more painted yarns with Koolaid.  The color combos this time were broader and I'm very happy with how it all came out.  

For this ongoing yarn dyeing experiment, I used Briggs & Little wool.

Here are few step I followed:

Step 1:  Soak the yarns in cool water to open the fibers.  NO, these are not noodles ;)

Step 2: create dyes from Koolaid and apply to yarns.  This one is mango, cherry and grape.

I put them in casserole dishes that are microwave safe.  Microwave is my heat source.  

Step 2:  I read that food dye also works if you add vinegar.  This one is all food coloring.

Step 3: put in microwave for 2 mins at a time on high.  Rest 2 mins between heating rounds.  

When water is clear, they're done!

Step 4: Let cool in dish (which I'm awful at...so I put warmish water in the sink and immediately transfer. 

The yarns cool in the water and I add some cold so I can handle the yarn.

Step 5: Let dry. 

I like to get my skeins into the sun to dry.  The dryer is NOT an option.  And outdoors allows for drips!

More skeins drying.  These soft colored ones will be warp.  

More skeins drying.  This will be weft for the soft pink warp skeins.

I really enjoy making my own colorways on yarn.  I have a few more skeins to dye up this summer, but these ones need to be woven first.  I'll post scarves when complete!