I have just bought some KoolAid because I want to dye some sock yarn. How long should I expect to wait? I am very excited!

Just out of interest, does anyone buy KoolAid to drink? To get those colours it must be full of E numbers. Or is its primary use now wool dyeing?

It depends where you bought it from?

if you've bought it from koolaiduk.com then they usually deliver in a few days at most, as they're in the UK, if you've bought it from overseas then it will take longer.

Remeber postal strikes and floods may slow down any deliveries.

I used to dye with kool aid - never drank the stuff, not after witnessing what it does to yarn!

It depends where you bought it from?

if you've bought it from koolaiduk.com then they usually deliver in a few days at most, as they're in the UK, if you've bought it from overseas then it will take longer.

Remeber postal strikes and floods may slow down any deliveries.

I used to dye with kool aid - never drank the stuff, not after witnessing what it does to yarn!

If you bought it at your LYS it would be fairly instant......:)

If you bought it at your LYS it would be fairly instant......:)

Do you sell it then Miss? :suspect:

What colours do you have Jill?

And I tried some Kool Aid whilst dying the yarn - not so sure I'll do it again...

My KoolAid has arrived and smells rather sweet, even though I've not opened it yet. I didn't realise you had any Jill. Have you got any in an orange colour?

I have got several "flavours"! Blue, orange, red, yellow, purple - others I cannot recall. I'll take a look tomorrow. I brought these back from the US in April. I guess I can get them sent over whenever I need them! I haven't advertised them as I don't have masses. Thought I'd keep them for the locals!

Local koolaid for local people? Right ;)

Is that the electric koolaid acid test?

I didn't know you stocked it jill, as i've still not made it up that neck of the woods :)

I've not used Kool Aid for a while, I miss how yummy it made my kitchen smell, for hours! lol.

I didn't know you stocked it jill, as i've still not made it up that neck of the woods :)

I've not used Kool Aid for a while, I miss how yummy it made my kitchen smell, for hours! lol.

Is it a messy job? You too Littleblue, can you give us the rundown? :confused:

it's dead easy you can either follow these steps here (http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEfall02/FEATdyedwool.html) or I just tend to stick the wool in plenty of water with the kool aid, then microwave it until the water goes clear.

it's dead easy you can either follow these steps here (http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEfall02/FEATdyedwool.html) or I just tend to stick the wool in plenty of water with the kool aid, then microwave it until the water goes clear.

Your idea sounds soo easy! How come the water goes clear? :huh:

The water goes clear as the colouring soaks into the wool. The heat of the water sets the colour.

Just don't burn your hands, and don't go putting the wool from hot to cold water, as it might felt, it's sensitive to temperature change.

MAKE SURE YOU WEAR RUBBER GLOVES!!!!!!!

That is all :hihi:

If you don't wear rubber gloves, would you just get hot hands, or matching socks and hands?

If you don't wear rubber gloves, would you just get hot hands, or matching socks and hands?

Matching hands and socks :hihi:

but they'd both smell lovely, apart from the charred bits :lol:

Hello Glitter Star. Which pattern do you have in mind for your socks that you are Kool Aiding the yarn for?

Can you recommend a beginners sock pattern for me? Oh, and don't tell Wheezy...whoops not invisible ink, she'll be able to read this and the secret will be out.

I will be knitting the standard Opal pattern with sixty stitches. I usually knit socks with faux Fair Isle, but as it is my first attempt at dyeing I doubt I'll be able to manage that, though I have seen websites which claim it is not too difficult to achieve for yourself. I'm into colour in a big way at the moment, so I'm hoping I can achieve bright colours. I don't know if you saw the Colinette Jitterbug yarn I bought in Popsicle (http://www.colinette.com/sess/utn;jsessionid=1546a9aab724531/shopdata/0020_yarns/0007_wools/0005_jitterbug/product_details.shopscript?article=0140_Jitterbug% 2B-%2BPopsicle%2B%3D28JIT%2B-%2B146%3D29), but that's the kind of effect I want for my own yarn.

Am I right in sensing you are on the slippery slope towards sock knitting?

The Jitterbug Popsicle is delicious!

Yup, I am heading towards to sock thing, but haven't got any needles yet on purpose so I will finish the cardigan I am nearly done with first.

Wheezy is not going to be impressed with me ...

I will be knitting the standard Opal pattern with sixty stitches. I usually knit socks with faux Fair Isle, but as it is my first attempt at dyeing I doubt I'll be able to manage that, though I have seen websites which claim it is not too difficult to achieve for yourself. I'm into colour in a big way at the moment, so I'm hoping I can achieve bright colours. I don't know if you saw the Colinette Jitterbug yarn I bought in Popsicle (http://www.colinette.com/sess/utn;jsessionid=1546a9aab724531/shopdata/0020_yarns/0007_wools/0005_jitterbug/product_details.shopscript?article=0140_Jitterbug% 2B-%2BPopsicle%2B%3D28JIT%2B-%2B146%3D29), but that's the kind of effect I want for my own yarn.

Am I right in sensing you are on the slippery slope towards sock knitting?

Get yourself down to the vets young lady!




















and get a heuuuuuuuuuuuuuge great syringe - its ideal for the project!

Make sure you massage in the dye and only put a little on at a time. If you do this the water coming out of it will be clear so you can squeeze it out as you go so the colours don't run. If that makes sense. It really is very very easy - I mean if I can do it then anyone can.

2mins on high power in the 'wave. Wait 5mins. 2 mins on high power. Drain hot water, leave to cool then rinse out and hang up to dry.

Jobs a goodun

I am now waiting for the white yarn to arrive. I'll post photos of how I get on. Some might say I need to get out more, but I just cannot wait and am so excited! I love the idea of having something unique. I love the names people give the colours of their yarns. Will I be able to name mine as well?

The longer you make your skein the less chance you have of getting the annoying flashing or pooling in your sock as the colour repeats in the sock stack up on each other. It does make it harder to paint the skein because you can't get it all on the kitchen counter at once and you have to paint a bit then wrap it in clingfilm before painting the next section but on the other hand the skein dries fast because it's thinner.

You don't have to start with white yarn, if you buy it coloured then if you end up with undyed bits then it doesn't show as white missed bits.