Gina Rockenwagner

Posted on: Egg Shell How to dye yarnApril 11, 2021

Dyeing 3 Colors of Green on EGG SHELL

Green is trending for spring! This color has been popping up like a weed on all types of things. I’ve spotted purses, shoes, interiors, and make-up in this fresh shade. But there is a gaping hole in my wardrobe, and I’m cooking up plans to fill that hole with a hand-knit tank top in a palette cleansing hue! 

I chose Knomad EGG SHELL to knit my tank top because it is super easy to care for. Just throw it in the washing machine on cold and hang to dry and you’re good to go! A touch of nylon makes it super durable.

Now to settle on a color. I thought I’d test 3 different shades of green from Dharma trading co, share the results and review them. What green would you choose? Let me know in the comments!

MATERIALS

• 3 skeins of Knomad EGG SHELL  yarn – 70% merino wool, 30% nylon. The dyes used in this project will work well on any of our yarns, but keep in mind non superwash wool absorbs dye differently from superwash wool. EGG SHELL is made from superwash wool. For more information on the differences between superwash and non superwash wool, check out this article.
• Dharma Trading co dye for silk and wool. I used the colors SOUR APPLE, SPEARMINT BREEZE, and KELLY GREEN.
• Gram scale
• 3 cups to mix the dye in
• Citric acid powder
• Metal chafing pan
• Your regular set up for heat setting yarn
• Optional: 3 zip ties

SOAK THE YARN

Loop a zip tie around each skein of yarn, if you are using them.

Soak the yarn in lukewarm water with a dash of citric acid for about 1 hour.

MIX AND MEASURE THE DYE

Make sure to always protect yourself with gloves and a respirator whenever you work with dye in its powder form. A dust mask is not enough protection to safely work with dye powder!

Measure 1 gram of each color dye into each of the three cups. Add 1 gram of citric acid to each cup. Top each cup with hot water.

Mix each cup well.

DYE THE YARN

Pour the entire contents of one of the cups of dye into the pan. Add water to the pan until you have about 1-2 inches of liquid in the pan. Stir gently. Remove one skein from the soaking liquid, gently squeezing the excess liquid out of the yarn. You want the skein to be damp, but not sopping wet. 

Place the skein in the pan, pressing it down so the skein is fully submerged in the dye. Use the back of a spoon to work the dye into the yarn for even color.  Cover the pan and heat the yarn for 10-15 minutes or until the dye is completely absorbed by the yarn. Remove the cover and allow the yarn to cool until barely warm.

RINSE AND DRY

Rinse and dry the yarn as you normally would. Repeat the above steps with the other two colors of dye and the remaining two skeins of yarn.

REVIEW

SOUR APPLE

Sour apple is a nice, mellow shade of green. Not too bright yet not at all muddy, this green resembles the shade of fresh peas.

SPEARMINT BREEZE

Spearmint breeze is the freshest of the three greens I dyed. A slight undertone of blue brings a cool, crisp feel to this shade. This shade has to be my favorite because it looks great with bright pink, and I wear a lot of bright pink.

KELLY GREEN

Kelly green is a bright, shamrock green that reminds me of emeralds. This rich, classic green makes me think of St Patrick’s day!

Enjoy your finished yarn! Make sure to tag us using #Knomadyarn so we can see all your fabulous projects.