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September 30, 2005
As the Dye-Pot Turns
A few years ago I used to dye my hair. It wasn't necessarily to cover up the roots, it was simply to create a more exciting colour than my own. There was a certain time of the month, that same time of the month that you crave chocolate, that I was more inclined to buy the dye and apply it. In the past year and a half (since leaving Canada) I've been letting my hair return to its natural, multicoloured state, but I'm still left with the urges to "do" something during that time of the month. Cleaning just isn't satisfying enough!
So I will now present to you what I did a few weeks ago, behold the before shot:
This is my Apricot Jacket. I like it, I really do, but I hate the colour. I find myself just not wearing it as much as I might if it was a different colour. That yarn, All Season Cotton in Tapestry, was purchased in a discontinued yarn sale. It was the first time I had bought any Rowan and I was just delighted, as I thought I had a good deal. Well it ain't much of a deal if you're not going to like it!
I had always assumed that because the All Season's Cotton was 60% Cotton and 40% Acrylic that dying this sweater would be a disaster. But one day, when I ventured on over to the Rit Dye page, I read that you can use the dye on fabrics that are composed of the "majority" of natural fibers. So I figured I was good to.
My next problem was what colour. Choosing a dye colour on your computer screen is much different than seeing it in front you! I've been fascinated with saturated colours since moving to California. I found that when I lived in a cloudy cold climate I liked to wear a lot of black. Since I've moved to summer 300 days of the year, bright and saturated colours are my thing! After reviewing the standard colours on the Rit webpage I wasn't satisfied, so I found the Custom Colour page. That is when I found a few contenders. I liked a few of the greens (hmmmm, chartreuse) and some of the blues, however I settled on a colour that I do not own enough of in my wardrobe: RED! For this project I selected paprika, which is one part Sunshine Orange and one part Scarlet. So I placed my order online and a few days later a box arrived. That very same night, I decided to do a little dye job.
I used my everyday cooking pot. In the future I won't do this, but I will admit: this was a spontaneous event. I should have used rubber (latex) gloves and I didn't (and I had a red hand the next day to prove it)! Before getting my pot-o-dye ready, I washed the sweater in the machine to get rid of any stains...and while it was still wet I slowly lowered it into the pot.
The instructions said that I could leave the fabric that was being dyed in the dye for up-to 30 minutes. At first that was my plan, but then I got impatient and I didn't want to stand beside the stove, stirring the precariously full pot for 30 minutes. So after about 20 minutes I decided to remove the sweater from the dye pot.
The instructions say that you should rinse the fabric until the water becomes clear. Rather than using the kitchen sink for this step, I moved this production onto the (white) bathtub.
So I rinsed, and I rinsed, and I rinsed some more. I suspect that I spent a good 30 - 40 minutes rinsing! Once the water was mostly clear (again, I'm impatient) I decided that it was time to wash the garment (as pre the instructions).
Obviously there was a lot more dye that wanted to come out of that sweater. I'm almost afraid what will happen the first time I wash it in the washer! Once I sloshed it around for a while in the soapy water, I then went through another 20 minutes of rinsing!
And then it was time to rest. I laid it out on a towel to dry. The next day when I got home from school it was still pretty wet so I threw it in the dryer for 20 minutes and that did the trick. I had a fabulous "new" sweater to wear.
All that this sweater needs before it can hit the catwalk is a closure mechanism. Before the sweater hit the dye-pot, I removed the buttons and the chain stitched loops. I didn't like how that looked. This time I'm going to opt for some hook and eyes, as I think that they are more subtle. I like the "hidden" closure look.
Now I wonder what I'll dye next month! I did buy a lot of Kool-Aid recently...and I have a lot of undyed worsted wool!! Stay tuned for the next installment of "As the Dye-Pot Turns".
Posted by loriz at September 30, 2005 11:25 AM
Comments
it looks great! i hope you have good luck with it when it goes thru the wash the first time. and if not, you could always just dye it again!
Posted by: jody at September 30, 2005 04:23 PM
Yay! You have a brand new sweater now! That was a brave move, and I'm so glad you had the courage to do it. I think the new color looks fantastic. :)
Posted by: Karma at September 30, 2005 08:52 PM
Love it!! I still haven't put a closure on mine. I think I'm going to go with three buttons, near the center.
Posted by: Lauren at September 30, 2005 09:00 PM
I think that is so great that you dyed the whole sweater instead of dyeing the yarn first. That's great. I have to jump on that Idea.
Posted by: Charisse at October 4, 2005 08:02 AM
I didn't know you could use Rit Dye. Oh, this opens the possibilities for my Cotton Ease.
Posted by: deb at October 9, 2005 02:47 PM
Good for you, you brave woman! It turned out beautifully.
Posted by: alison at October 10, 2005 09:32 AM
i love the orange! was funny that california got you to change your color pallet. i moved here from israel, where there's (super hot) summer for 360 days of the year, but my color pallet went crazier in colors too!
and i'm just about to experiment with kool-aid too, as soon as my natural yar arrives. can't wait!
happy holidays!
michal
Posted by: michal at December 22, 2005 08:36 PM
This was absolutely fascinating to read! I love the new color. And the pic of you up on the rocks is great with your sweater. You look so cozy and content.
Pip
Posted by: Pip at January 25, 2006 03:55 PM