Dye Magic

Dyeing is so addictive. I can't wait to see what magic comes out of the pot.

You're probably wondering what I mean by that.  After all, I'm the person adding the dye - shouldn't I know what I'm doing?

Well, yes, sort of.

I have formulas/recipes that I've developed for each of the colorways. But even when I follow my plans, there is an element of magic to dyeing yarn.

Each base reacts differently to the dyes. Some fibers take up dye differently that others. Subtle changes in the atmosphere (temperature, humidity) can affect the final outcome - much like baking a cake. Even how fast or slow I pour dyes into the kettle can affect the look of the final product.

And what yarn looks like in the dye pot is often different from the final washed and dried product. Wet yarn always reflects darker tones than dry yarn, so sometimes when I'm trying to dye subtle colors, I have a little panic time while the yarn is still in the pot and looking too vibrant.

It's all magic, and magic is FUN!