Gina Rockenwagner

Posted on: Dyeing techniques Egg ShellSeptember 9, 2022

How to dye a neutral colored sweater yarn on Knomad Eggshell

How to dye a neutral colored sweater yarn

Late Summer is truly the cruelest time to be a knitter in southern California, where I live! While all my friends on the east coast and in the Midwest are casting on their fall knits and enjoying pumpkin spice lattes while picking apples at a local orchard, here in Los Angeles we’re facing our sweatiest time of year. Instead of cuddling up with my latest project, you’ll sooner find me eating dinner outside in shorts and a tank top. It’s not the September of my dreams, but I’m learning to love it all the same!

To manifest the chill Autumn weather I crave, I’m dyeing up a neutral colored sweater yarn in palette that reminds me of a barn owl, with its warm brown and cream plumage and subtle black speckle. I chose Eggshell yarn for this project because it makes wonderfully crisp speckles and it is super easy to care for, which is something that I love in a sweater yarn. I love to wear my sweaters so when they’re washable, I wear them even more!

What’s the weather like in your part of the world? Are you feeling the heat or reaching for a cup of hot apple cider? Let us know, and show us your works in progress using Knomad yarn!

MATERIALS

• 2 skeins of Knomad EGGSHELL yarn – 70% superwash merino wool, 30% nylon 
• Dharma Trading co acid dye for silk and wool. I used the colors FAWN and TONER BLACK
• Gram scale
• 1 large cup to mix liquid dye in. I like to use a mason jar or pyrex measuring cup.
• A small cup, preferably with a lid so extra dye powder can be stored.
• Citric acid powder
• Your regular set up for heat setting yarn
• A spoon
• Gloves
• Optional: two zip ties
  

SOAK THE YARN

• Loop a zip tie around the skein of yarn, if you are using it.
• Soak the yarn in lukewarm water for about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, prepare your dye.

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 or surgical mask is not enough protection to safely work with dye powder!

Into one large cup, measure 1/2 gram FAWN dye powder. Add ½ teaspoon of citric acid powder and top with hot water (about two cups). Stir to dissolve. 

Measure .25 grams of TONER BLACK  dye powder into the small cup. Add about 1 tablespoon of citric acid powder and stir well. Place the top on the cup until you’re ready to use the dye powder.

DYE THE YARN

Pour 4 cups of room temperature water into your pan or dye pot. Add a tea spoon of citric acid powder and stir gently.

Remove the skeins from the soaking liquid, gently squeezing the excess liquid out of the yarn. You want the yarn to be slightly damp, but not sopping wet. 

Place the skeins side by side in your pan or dye pot, spreading the yarn out so it completely fills the pan. Your yarn should be just poking out of the surface of the water, not completely submerged.

Pour half the FAWN liquid dye along one of the narrow edges of the pan. 

Repeat the previous step on the opposite edge of the pan.

Place the lid on the pan and heat on low for 10 minutes.

Turn off the heat and remove the lid

Use a dry, clean spoon to sprinkle the TONER BLACK powder mix over the bare parts of the yarn. Sprinkle sparingly in the beginning and slowly add more until you achieve speckles to your liking. Always add little by little to avoid adding too much!

Place the lid on the pan and heat over low for 10 minutes more. Check to make sure all the dye was absorbed before turning off the heat. 

Allow the yarn to cool completely.

Rinse and dry the yarn as you normally would.

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