As I sit here at my table next to the window, peering out into the misty forest there is nearly a shock of new growth of madrone foliage.
I have been inspired by the new growth in the woods lately, and decided to get out some dye, and run some experiments. Unfortunately there are no before photos of this project, it was a skein of very heathery greyish blue, and the result of a very small amount of golden yellow powder dye in a slightly acidic dye bath, kept below simmer until the dye exhausted, is this …
I am not a very good photographer, in that I really don’t know how to use a camera to grasp surface color variation, but I tried to put the yarn in different spaces to show the heathered flecks of bluer green and some of near neon yellow-green… and well, it all looks rather monotone from the eye of the camera. Can you see the heathered flecks?
But, this whole dye project really has tickled a spot, and I realized that I have been dying many kinds of fiber for literally decades. I am having a bit of an epiphany today, a new growth in my thinking that I might want to dye single skeins, and make up some kits of printed patterns of my cowls to include some of my dyed yarns, I mean heck ~~everybody is doing it~~ kits, personal yarn lines, as well as the printed or downloadable pattern. The sky is no limit when one’s profession is in the realm of ‘Indie Knitwear Designer’. Thinking having these simple little kits available a haberdashery shop here on Yarnings.
I have the tools, the time, and a load of experience, so I’m enjoying a bit of dreaming just now !
Jenjoyce Design 
Gorgeous looking yarn.
Hi Wen, yeah, I think so too. And a little hand-dyed yarn & pattern kit might just hit the spot here on Yarnings 🙂 Haberdashery shop, here we come! 🙂
Go for it! Sounds excellent. xxx
Kelly, I am already thinking of overhauling the tiny trailer out in the woods (the one I was given & lived in for a summer when we were building our house)… into a Dye Shack! 🙂 I am getting quite excited about it now. Hope everything is going smoothly with you and your big move! xx
My house looks like a bomb hit it! I’m up to my eyeballs in paint tins. 😀
I love this so much! The effect is SO beautiful.
Thanks so much! I am of course, a dying maniac now…. 😉 xx
This was a great success! I loved your opening sentence to this post and that forest shot was amazing!
Stefanie, sincere thanks! xx
I think you are wrong about the photography – this pics are excellent! I don’t see any reason why you shouldn’t expand in this direction – you clearly have the skills!
Lizzi, do you think? I mean, I refuse to buy the big equipment & expensive camera, but this little camera seems to do alright (even without the macro-lens…lol) I think the Altitude Lace, Twists, and Ridges cowls would be great little kits with a hand-dyed skein, and seems like I am falling behind by not having a ‘shop’ on Yarnings. Its time! 🙂 xx
Go for it, Jen. You are always away further down the line than you think. And if you can produce pics with the equipment you have – then why look for more. Kits? Why not? What do you have to lose?
go go go …………………………..:-)
All in good time Lizzi, just letting thoughts and ideas germinate for now. 🙂
Oh, that , and the fact that I need to look into online shop features, which I’m presently clueless about right now !
Could you do a tutorial on this? I bought way too much blue yarn! And by the way the photos are perfect. You don’t need a new camera for online posting. And the photo of you in the cowl for your book is beautiful!
What would you like to know? I just used Jaquard Acid dye, a little, and then voila… dyed yarn! Oh, if you’re referring to the photo of the e-book, that is my lovely niece. 🙂 Thank you.
Hi. My mom wants something green for her 75th birthday. I have some medium toned slate blue yarn I can over dye. How much is a small amount of golden yellow? I am going to use vinegar. Thank you! Your blog is lovely.
I would only try to overdye a light blue to get a medium green . If you overdye a medium blue, you’re not necessarily guaranteed a full soak of dye, it will probably be teal, or really dark green. I can’t really say how much, why not try snipping off little pieces of the yarn you want to overdye and experiment with gradations of yellow dye, starting with a little, and adding more, etc. Good luck!