Step 1
Wash the item that you want to dye. In my case, I stuck my shawl in the shower under the water until it was soaked through. Do not dry or wring out. You will need it wet to help the dye spread evenly. You don’t want a splothy result.
Step 2
Put on a pair of gloves. No really. Don’t think you won’t make a mess. Been there, done that, have a stained bathmat. Seriously, put on some gloves and move anything out of the way that could stain. You (and your hands) will thank me later.
Step 3
Mix the dye according to the manufacturers instructions. Remember - want a deeper colour? Use less water. Similarly if you want a more washed out look, add more water. I used about 1,5 liters of hot water altogether as i wanted a darker result. Here’s what I did. I CAREFULLY cut open the dye packet and emptied the contents into my mixing container. I then added about 1 liter of hot water and stirred until dissolved. The colour is usually very intense at this stage. Do not worry.
Step 3
Once the dye is properly dissolved, add 5 tablespoons of salt. I am a bit lazy so I just eyeballed it. Again, stir until dissolved.
Step 4
Carefully throw the concentrated dye mix into your dye vessel - in my case a small white plastic tub. Again, do this slowly and be careful. Those tiny little droplets of dye tend to fly about. Add the remainder of the required water. I added another 2 liters of hot water as I wanted it darker. Stir.
Step 5
Still wearing your gloves, take your wet item and slowly lower into the dye bath. Once submerged, stir continuously but not vigorously for 15 minutes to make sure that the dye reaches every nook, cranny and fibre on your item.
Step 6
Then leave the item in the dye bath for another 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. This is to make sure that the dye disperses evenly. Again, I learnt from my mistakes. Not stirring will result in dark streaks where the item is crunched up. Also don’t stir too vigorously. Since my shawl is cashmere, I stirred very slowly and carefully to avoid damage to the fibres.
Step 7
Time to rinse. Carefully empty out the dye bath either in an outside drain if you have one or the bath or shower. Rinse the item with cold water until the water runs clear. Then wash in warm water to remove any remaining dye. Again, I skipped this step once and ended up with a purple neck from the remaining dye. I soaked my shawl in a bucket of soapy water for 5 minutes and then rinsed again under cold water.
Step 8
Hang to dry and you’re done! In my case, since I dyed a lace shawl, I carefully pressed out the water. To do so, take a large towel (older is better), lay out the item on the towel and roll up in the towel. Then do your best impression of those grape-stomping ladies of olden times. Walk on the towel to press out any water. I took a clean towel and carefully laid out and pinned my shawl to dry.
Ta da! This is one of the easiest ways to update an old handmade item or a new project. I always keep dyeing in mind when yarn shopping, especially around sale time when unpopular colours are usually put on sale.
The most important thing to remember is this - wear gloves, be very, very careful and have fun!
Remember to visit our website at kpcyarn.com where you can buy KPC yarn online - we ship internationally!