Hummingbird Yarn

I want to make a hummingbird illusion pattern that I found on Ravelry, but I want my yarn to look like a hummingbird. Since I haven’t found any yarn I liked in that color, I’m going to try to dye the yarn myself. Here is the inspiration for the colors. 

Here are the steps I took.

Supplies:

• Mask
• Paper towels
• Soaking pan
• Citric Acid
• Dye Pot
• Measuring cup (1 qt)
• JacquaredDyes: Emerald, Turquoise, Sapphire Blue, Purple
• Paintbrushes
• Large wooden Spoon
• Tongs
• Reusable Zip Ties
• Rubber gloves.

1. Put a reusable zip tie on each skein of yarn to use as a handle while dyeing.

2. Soaked 4 skeins of yarn in 8 quarts of water with citric acid for 30 min.

3. Squeezed excess water out of the yarn and put the yarn on the side.

4. In a dye pot, I heated 5 quarts of water till a rolling boil and lowered the heat.

5. I added ⅛ tsp. Of Emerald dye to the water and stirred,

6. I slowly added the yarn until all the yarn was covered with the water.. After a minute, I rotated the yarn until all the dye was used up.

7. I pulled the yarn out by the zip ties and rearranged the yarn.

8. Spread the yarn out in the water so that all 4 skeins have a side showing.

9. I filled a cup with 1 cup of water, added ⅛ Turquoise and mixed thoroughly.

10. I poured approximately. ⅓ of a cup randomly over the yarn.

11. I waited about 1 min. until absorbed (I used my wooden spoon to make sure it was absorbed).

12. I pulled out each skein of yarn and turned in the zip tie. (I hung each zip tie on a wooden spoon laid across the top of the pot to hold the skein after turning so I could do the others.)

13. Spread the yarn back in the water and randomly spread ⅓ cup of dye around the yarn.

14. Wait 1 min. Until absorbed.

15. Turn the yarn again and spread the remaining dye.

Repeat steps 9-15 with Sapphire Blue.

Repeat steps 9-15 with Sapphire Blue.

I decided the colors weren’t rich enough, so I repeated steps 9-15 with turquoise, then sapphire blue, and finally purple one more time.

Lastly, I repeated steps 9-15 with the emerald as the final color.

I was happy with the results.

I heated the water to just below a rolling boil. Then I turned off the heat and let it sit until the water cooled.

After it cooled (a few hours), I rinsed the yarn and hung it to dry.