Kool-Aid Dying — Woolen Soaker

The Wee Diva needed more wool soakers, so Crochet Diva crocheted her latest soaker out of White Lamb’s Pride 85% Wool/15% Mohair. Then, Crochet Diva soaked the soaker in warm water with one squirt of dish soap for about 20 minutes.

soak crocheted woolen soaker before dying

While the soaker was soaking (hehe), Crochet Diva prepared everything for the dying process. Some people dye their wool before they crochet with it, but Crochet Diva only wanted to dye the exact amount of wool, so she opted to dye the soaker after she crocheted it.

Here is what is needed for Kool-Aid dying:

  1. 2-3 Packages of Kool-Aid or other drink mix (Depending on how deep you want the color to be)

  2. 2 TBSP White Vinegar per Kool-Aid Packet

  3. 2 TBSP Water Per Kool-Aid Packet

  4. Plastic Wrap (Crochet Diva ended up using a ziplock baggy)

Kool-Aid Soaker Dying

Mix Kool-Aid, Vinegar, & Water in bowl and stir until your drink mix is fully disolved. Lay Plastic Wrap flat on work area. Put wool or soaker on top of plastic wrap. Gradually pour Kool-Aid mixture on your wool or wool item until entire surface is colored. Then wrap in plastic wrap and sit in a glass dish (This is where Crochet Diva put the soaker in a plastic baggy, and then put it into a glass dish). Put dish with wrapped soaker in microwave for three minutes. Check your baggy, and the water should no longer be colored, but should be clear:

Kool-Aid Dying Soaker

Notice in the picture, the water in the corner of the baggy is clear, and no longer purple like grape Kool-Aid (Be careful not to burn yourself, it will be VERY HOT). When the water is clear it means that the Kool-Aid has completely absorbed and set into the wool. Rinse wool item in cool water. Then, take wool item and put onto a dry towel and roll to wring excess water from wool item. Notice how after the soaker is taken from towel, no purple residue is on the towel. The dye is really completely set into the wool. :)

Towel Wring Soaker

All done, now hang dyed item to dry! :)

June 20 2008 03:05 am | green and soaker and wool

5 Responses to “Kool-Aid Dying — Woolen Soaker”

  1. Zuleika on 24 Jun 2008 at 10:57 pm #

    That’s how it’s done!? Cool!

  2. Zuleika on 24 Jun 2008 at 10:57 pm #

    What does koolaid do to our insides I wonder. Having a multicolored spleen doesn’t sound too healthy. ;-)

  3. Crochet Diva on 26 Jun 2008 at 5:46 am #

    Scary thought, Zuleika… :-/ But it is great for dying wool :-p

  4. Mama Wolfe (aka Cheryl) on 28 Jun 2008 at 3:59 pm #

    I just started Kool Aid dying and can’t believe how many different “fool proof” methods there are! Just beautiful!

  5. Crochet Diva on 01 Jul 2008 at 9:57 pm #

    There are so many different ways, Mama Wolfe, I look forward to trying different ways. :)

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