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am i mad?

45 replies

warthog · 10/03/2007 12:04

i feel like embarking on knitting a kaffe fassett jersey with 14 different colours (that is assuming, of course, that i'll find a wool shop that actually stocks 14 different colours in cotton.... see ideal wool shop thread!). will probably take me 2 years.

am i off my rocker?

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warthog · 16/03/2007 07:53

i don't fancy having to dye all the colours. we live in a small flat - i have nowhere to hang it out to dry! my mil has offered her house, but i'm not sure how accomodating she'll be with dripping wool all over her piano...

i would like it to be a solid colour. what are the tricks, if you don't mind imparting trade secrets? (cheeky of me to ask )

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Fillyjonk · 17/03/2007 07:40

lol

you won't get a completely even colour with food dye. you just won't. But it can be pleasingly uneven, not vile.

to dye wool-simplest method-add vingar (you need to exp with how much as it will affect hue)and food dye (ditto) and water and a skein of protein based fibre (wool, nylon, soy) to a pan of boiling water. Boil til water is clear. Then let the water cool, and then and only then, rinse with lots of water.

ok main 2 things re even-ness.

wind a long thin skein not a small fat one. Or divvy the ball up.

Soak the skein in the food dye/vinegar/water solution for 24 hours beforehand

use a lowish heat-will take longer but should be more even

use as much water as possible

consider overdying-ie dying same skein several times with less dye.

or just buy the colours! Did you want cotton? have you seen this-they quoted me a good price for shipping and the exchange rate is good

or, of course, texere

I hang mine out to dry in the following places:

over the bath (on a clothes horse)
out of the windows
on the line in nice weather
over the taps

once its stopped dripping you can put it anywhere really.

warthog · 17/03/2007 16:33

thanks for the info fillyjonk! i think i will give it a try, but am reluctant to give up on my cotton plan. what happens if i try to dye cotton?

i'm looking for a kingfisher / turquoise blue and an olive green cotton.

thanks for the tips - will definitely do as you say.

and what about unravelling the ball when dyeing? is it worth it for a more even colour or just a pain to untangle?

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Fillyjonk · 17/03/2007 17:24

you have to create a skein, wh

you can't just be dying balls

WHY aren't you buying the stuff, btw? did you check the links? bear in mind exchange rate is around 50p : $1?

food dying can be cheaper but you have to be a bit zen about it all really.

warthog · 17/03/2007 19:33

yes but no but yes but i understood about unravelling see but just hadn't thought it through...

i'm not buying the stuff because i can't find the right colour. it's not really about the cost. i'm knitting one of kf's creations where it's important to have the right hues. a dark blue colour doesn't have the right zing as turquoise iyswim...

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Fillyjonk · 18/03/2007 08:02

well they have 108 hues...including turquoise, surely?

hmm

you could get a dye kit from texere and faff with that

food dye colouring can be a bit limited in hues obtained though supercook do a nice blue wgich dyes to turquoise.

can you not go to your lys and get them to order in stuff? debbie bliss cotton comes in a lot of colours iirc

warthog · 18/03/2007 08:54

just checked debbie bliss - she does have a good turquoise!!! fantastic!

your other site did have very good colour ranges, but the wide ranges seemed to be in 2 ply and 4 ply. now it would have been possible to double the yarn to make it dk...

i am still interested in yarn dyeing just because it's something i've never considered before.

lys - rofl - see 'ideal wool shop' thread. lys is shite. (well there are 2, each at opposite ends of the spectrum - ultra expensive, and cheap crap.)

thanks for your help - i think i've solved the problem. i'm sure i can wing an olive colour.

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Swizzler · 18/03/2007 09:11

I got some lovely btight cotton from Loop - they have an online shop - the ggh Scarlett yarn is DK www.loopshop.gb.com/index.html?action=search&searchtype=catID&quicksearch=10&p_start=12&sortType=&submit=nexthere . They have a lovely turquoise.

Swizzler · 18/03/2007 09:14

Bugger link not working. Website is www.loopshop.gb.com

Fillyjonk · 18/03/2007 09:16

oooh swizzler

I like loop too

but bloody hell that ggh cotton splits like mad. have never known anything like it.

warthog · 18/03/2007 09:40

but it is a lovely turquoise...

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Fillyjonk · 18/03/2007 09:41

was it really only 2/4 ply?

i got the impression there was dk in there somewhere. lets have a look...

Fillyjonk · 18/03/2007 09:43

no they have 8 ply, whatever that is. 5 mm I'd guess. you could email. its under double worsted

i normally just double, I must say.

Pruni · 18/03/2007 10:00

Message withdrawn

Fillyjonk · 18/03/2007 11:00

eh?

i can't have, i must have got the dates muddled

you were early 90s, i was late 90s, yes?

Pruni · 18/03/2007 11:55

Message withdrawn

Swizzler · 18/03/2007 12:17

Don't tell my the GGH splits - I'm just starting a tank top. Lovely colours though. I was assured it was DK, but it looks a bit holey on the needles

Fillyjonk · 18/03/2007 12:22

pmsl

thats why I said...buildings, remeber?

swizzler it splits, dear god it splits. i am kind of ashamed to send them in for this blanket, it is so splitty

warthog · 18/03/2007 12:43

thanks for the warning. will avoid like plague.

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Swizzler · 18/03/2007 16:27

Doesn't look too bad on plain ss - a few loops here and there is all . And the colours are fab.

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