to dye for, part 3

mmm.. dye party... 3 more pounds of yarn and a couple of pounds of roving, all prettied up and drying in my bathroom and on the porch. I think we may have accidentally dyed the porch a few different colors today.

Things we learned:

• Steam Dyeing is a very good way to dye roving. Less mess, less unintended felting, better color bands.


• When steam dyeing, lots of dye will sneak out of the packets and into the pot, so don't use your pasta pot thinking the dye is contained and you'll still be able to use the pot for cooking.


• Colonial Blue from Prochem doesn't take very well.


• Mohair blends eat up color beautifully.


• Fingernails also absorb color well, even when wearing gloves.


• Superwash sock yarn doesn't eat up color unless you force feed it.


• After 5 hours or so of dyeing, your back will hurt.


• Putting dyes in plastic squeeze bottles saves a lot of grief.


• Keeping the squeeze bottles in a Grooming Box makes them easier to carry back down to the basement.


• You can never have too many layers of newspaper protecting the counter.