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    Kettle Dyeing Yarn or Fiber

    Updated: Jul 17, 2020 by Annette Browning

    Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links. If you click and buy, we may receive a commission.
    See Disclosure for details.

    How to Kettle Dye Yarn or Fiber

    A few weeks ago, I shared with you my method of How to Hand Paint Yarn. So today I thought I’d tell you about How to Kettle Dye your yarn.

    How to Kettle Dye Yarn, Fiberartsy.com Tutorial
    Kettle dyeing yarn is much less labor intensive than hand painting which also takes a lot more time.

    So, why would you ever hand paint your yarn rather than just kettle dyeing it? Because hand painting gives you a lot more control over where the dye goes and how much it blends with the neighboring colors.  

    There are pros and cons to each method. It all depends on how you want the final skein of yarn to look.

    Note: Make sure the type of dye you use is compatible with the fiber in your yarn.  In this case, I used my alpaca/merino yarn and Jacquard Acid Dyes
    . Acid dye is specifically made to dye protein (animal) fiber.

    For this project, I’m using three colors: Terra Cotta, Brown and Tan

    (This page contains affiliate links which simply means that if you click through and buy or sign up, this site will get a small commission, at absolutely no extra cost to you.)

    Grab the Free Guide

    image of ebook cover Yarn Dyeing Cheatsheet Ebook

    Grab the Free Cheatsheet!

    Includes: Which Dyes to Use, Yarn Dyeing Safety plus a complete Supply List

    Supplies Needed:

    Wool Yarn s.a. Sheep or Alpaca
    Pre-dissolved Jacquard Acid Dyes

    Note: Always follow safety directions when handling dye powder!

    White vinegar
    Water
    Chopsticks or plastic spoon
    Metal pot such as a turkey roaster pan.
    (This must be a pot or pan used for dyeing only! Don’t use the same pot for cooking!)
    Stove

    How to kettle dye yarn, Fiberartsy.com tutorial
    Skeins of Alpaca/Merino Yarn
    How to kettle dye yarn, Fiberartsy tutorial
    Turkey roaster for yarn dyeing
    Soaking the Fiber

    Fill your roaster about half way with hot water. Add some vinegar. How much depends on how much yarn you plan on dyeing.

    My rule of thumb is about 1 cup of vinegar to 4 (3 ounce) skeins.Place your yarn in the water and push it down. Don’t agitate or swoosh it around as this will cause it to felt.

    Let the yarn sit in the water bath for about an hour to thoroughly saturate it.


    Applying the Dye

    Now, you are ready to add your dye! Using a cup, remove enough water from the pot so that the water is barely covering the yarn.

    Next, gently lift the yarn from one end of the pot and add your first dye color to the water. Very carefully place the yarn back in the pot. Add some more of the first dye color to the top of the yarn.

    Using your chopstick or plastic spoon, gently open up the yarn to allow the dye to penetrate each part.

    Add the second color across the center of the yarn. Again, with the chopstick or spoon, carefully move the yarn. Add more dye if necessary.

    Repeat the steps with the third dye color.

    How to kettle dye yarn, Fiberartsy.com tutorial
    Adding dye
    How to kettle dye yarn, Fiberartsy.com tutorial
    Adding dye
    How to kettle dye yarn, Fiberartsy.com tutorial
    Move yarn to help dye penetrate
    How to kettle dye yarn, Fiberartsy.com tutorial
    Three dye colors added
    Setting the Dye

    Once all of the yarn is covered with dye, turn the stove burner on low. You want to slowly heat the yarn to a simmer. After 15 minutes or so, turn the temp up to medium. Once the water begins to simmer, turn the heat back down to low. Leave it there for about 45 minutes or until all the dye is dissolved and the water is clear.  At this point, I usually just turn off the burner, cover the pot and let it sit overnight. At the very least, let it sit til the water cools completely.

    Now you can remove the yarn from the pot and rinse it in room temp water. When the water runs clear, hang up your yarn to dry.

    How to Kettle Dye Yarn, Fiberartsy.com Tutorial
    Kettle Dyed Yarn

    Congrats! You just kettle dyed some yarn!

    If any of the steps are unclear, please leave a comment and let me know. What do you think? Will you try it?

    Happy Day Everyone!
    Annette

    Wool Yarns from knitpicks.com

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    About Annette Browning

    Annette is a long time fiber artist and former alpaca farm owner. She shares her love of dyeing, felting, crochet and knitting as well as other craft projects.

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