Dyeing To Knit

The end product excites me. Knitting and crocheting are just a means to an end. Thus, the how of the yarn has never held much fascination. Interesting processes for sure. Cotton or soybean fields are just something I grew up with. Sheep make a mess and are smelly - except when a wee one is bottle fed. Then the wee one is darling and can do no harm. Bamboo is a weed; worms make cocoons; various other animals eat grass and carry stuff. This is just science and - get ready for a confession - science belongs in text books and television and laboratories. It does not belong in my house.

Appreciating that science and manufacturing activities occur prior to my purchasing a skein is quite different from wanting to be involved in it all. Especially when those steps are meant to change what nature hath wrought and second guess the color pallet of Mother Nature herself.

Oh, for sure I looked forward to the Kool-Aid dyeing workshop that was mentioned here. Education is a good thing. Experience is grand. Perhaps it is best to say that I approached the workshop excitedly and as a one time experience.

Fast forward - an addict is created. Sad, but true. I might be addicted to dyeing yarns with food safe products.

• no worries about people and pets when food safe dyeing takes place
• no need to invest in special equipment
• ventilation is not an issue
• clean-up is as easy as every day dish washing
• children can participate
• the smell is familiar
• cost of 'dye' is minimal
• all supplies can be kept in the kitchen cabinet
• water run-off is safe
  

I have probably forgotten some of the advantages. But this makes sense to me. The cost effectiveness makes sense. The environmental footprint makes me happy. The familiarity of every ingredient and tool is comforting.

This little skein is my result. It makes me happy. The color is fairly accurate showing the lemonade and berry blue colors. For this look, each color was spooned on to the prepared skein in alternating pools of color. My plan was to avoid green as much as possible and have sections that would be two or three stitches worth of yarn when worked on a US 8.

And the finished product! Two coasters. Since I can't take credit for the mitered square, the only thing left is to take credit for the color way.

How does Deconstructed Blueberry Lemonade sound?