Nothing like receiving a package to make it feel like Christmas, even in July. The outside temperatures say HOT and the yarn says warm.
I ordered four skeins of Knit Picks Stroll in fingering weight in the color Bare, one sock blank* also Bare, blunt point tapestry needles, a knit-picker, and Pints and Purls book.
A great book so far. I’ve just skimmed through it and found several things I want to knit. The projects are rated for “designated driver” to “four drinks” with the DD rating for knitting with fewer distractions and the four drinks rating for more distractions aka beer or other concoctions Did you notice those sexy reading glasses? Buy-one-get-one free for $2.98. Can’t beat that price even if they aren’t exactly right.
Can you guess what my plans are for the Bare naked yarn? I picked up these Easter Egg coloring kits for $0.25 each after Easter. I want to dye or hand paint the yarn for socks or whatever I feel like knitting with fingering weight yarn.
I’ve seen all sorts of yummy colorways of sock yarn and I really want to dye my own. I’ve never done this so if you have any techniques, suggestions, experience, or positive energy, please feel free to share!
The next few weeks are going to be a bit hectic (motorcycle trip and a party) so I might not get to this right away.
*sock blank description straight from the Knit Picks web site: Our brand new sock yarn dye blanks are long double-stranded pre-knit stretches of machine washable, Merino/nylon blend sock yarn that you can hand dye using the dye method of your choice, and then knit directly from the sock blank to easily create your own colorways and self-striping sock yarns. Finished knit size is 33″ long by 9″ wide.
Knitting In Flashes 
Good for you.
I’ve dyed yarn in the past with Kool-Aid in the microwave and Wilton food dye and some white vinegar in the sun. You can also dye yarn using actually food and drink products, like onion skins, tumeric, and plain ol’ teas.
Knit Picks has a pdf with instructions here: http://knitpicks.ning.com/notes/Dyeing_-_Kool-Aid%C2%AE
I’m not sure if the Paz Easter Egg dying kits do contain vinegar, but I would definitely suggest using about a 1/2 to a 3/4 of a cup of white vinegar to help with color-fastness.
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This is very interesting, but it is all Greek to me. Good luck!!!!!
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Don’t understand a word you said about the yarns BUT I don’t need to. I have dyed fabric in college but not anything small or long like yarn. I think it will be very interesting to see what happens. I don’t think you can really imagine how it will turn out unless you knit it first and then dye it….and even then it will be a surprise!
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