Dyeing Yarn - Cool Vat Method

I recently dyed some yarn trying a new dyeing method (to me). I thought I’d share the process I followed and the results. It is helpful for me to look back and this in case I want to try it again and see what I would do differently. This is also good for students to see because they need to know that learning is a lifelong process. 

Materials I used: rubber gloves, mask, kitchen tongs, plastic spoons, 6 dye powders, scale, coffee filters cut in half to lay flat on the scale,  tall pot with lid, steamer basket, 6- 1 quart glass jars with lids, 6- 20g mini skeins of bare yarn. 

1. 
   Soak mini skeins for 2 hours in tap water.
2. Put on a mask and gloves. 
3. Weigh dye powder, and 1 cup of warm water to dissolve the powder. (.8g of dye for 20 g mini). 
4. Pour each color into a separate glass jar. Add water to fill jar ¾ full. 
5. Add yarn to jars.
6. Let yarn sit for 10 minutes. 
7. Add ½ tsp. citrus acid and stir. 
8. Leave in jars overnight to 48 hours if needed.
9. Squeeze out excess water.
10. Put in the steamer basket. Place in a tall pot, cover,  and steam for 30 minutes. 

Things I Learned:

1. I weighed the powder outside and the wind was blowing slightly. The coffee filter did not want to stay on the scale. Next time I will use plastic cups. 
2. It was hard to weigh .8g of dye. I understand now why it is easier to make a stock solution and take out the necessary liquid needed. 
3. When putting the yarn in the steamer pot, I will make sure none of the yarn touches each other. The blue touched the yellow and there was some color transfer so I had to redo the yellow yarn again. Some of the green got on the blue but I don't think it is very noticeable.
4. I want to do this with the other dye colors that I have. This would be a great way to have samples of all the colors in their saturated state so when I want to make variegated yarn, I will know what the colors look like. 

Original photo by Pat Hensley