In the Dye Pot - More Preparations for Weaving

 Knit Picks Fingering Gloss (merino wool and silk) dyed with Procion Grape and Cerulean Blue. 

Dharma has a method for using fiber-reactive dyes (using vinegar, salt  and heat in place of the soda ash) on wool.  I've had good success with it, as you can see!

Turns out, I wasn't all that enamored of the 'spensive cashmire yarn I bought to make more circle scarves.  So I looked through my stash to see what I could dye myself that was a comparable fiber type (not cashmire, but soft) and weight.  

I had some alpaca and some Knitpicks Merino and Silk that look to have the same weight (1 or laceweight).

It's my usual comfortable color pallet:  Blue, Green, and Purple.

 

Procion Cerulean Blue (Knitpicks Gloss: Merino and silk)

 

Procion Cerulean Blue in the dye pot. 

 

Dyer's notes.

In the Dye Pot:  Bring water to just below simmering.

Add the following:

• 1-1/2 T Salt
• 1/3 cup Vinegar
• 1/4 cup Dye Stock (I could have used more.  These feel a little too pastel-y.)
  
• Add pre-soaked yarn.
  
• Simmer until dye has been taken up by the yarn.   (About 2 hours or so.)

  It came out a nice sky blue.

Yarn label.  Knit Picks Fingerling Gloss. 

Procion Grape (with a little extra Cerulean Blue) on Knitpicks Gloss: Merino and silk.

 

 Dyer's Notes.

Procion Leaf Green on alpaca yarn. Looks almost black!

 

Dyer's Notes.  I thought I might have to mix the color myself.  Greens and purples are tricky to get "just the right color." 

 

Yarn label with specifics. 

 This is how it came out -- much lighter than I expected. More of a Granny Smith apple green.  Gorgeous under normal circumstances, but not quite what I was going for here ...

All of these came out pastel-y.  Will another round of dye deepen the colors?  

What if I use the Wilton's food coloring dyes this time?