Introducing Acid Dye Kits!

Most of you know I spent a few years dyeing over at Autumn and Indigo, and I can vouch there's nothing like a simple transformation of color. There is pure joy in watching something go from white to a color of your choice, especially in just the matter of about 15 minutes. Talk about instant gratification!

I've opted to bring you the joy of color at your fingertips with just a few simple steps using our pre-measured Acid Dye Kits. All you need is ~ 3.5 oz / 100 g of protein fiber and one of our dye kits. Non super washed wool works best, but you can use yarn, roving, or even locks! There's no measuring, no fussing, no need to buy in bulk for something you may want to do only once or twice.

To start, you'll need one of our Acid Dye Kits and ~ 3.5 oz / 100 g of protein fiber. I offer skeins and blank roving in the shop if you'd like a one stop shop. Or you can choose something from your stash if you want to experiment.

You'll also need the following tools:

Note: I strongly recommend not using materials you prep food with. Check amazon or thrift stores and keep your craft items separate from your normal cook wear.

dust mask
bowl with hot tap water
1 gallon dishwasher safe glass jar or stainless steel pot
tongs
a towel you won't mind getting stained
rubber gloves if desired
optional: zip ties come in handy to keep your skeins from getting tangled
optional: something to protect your work surface if needed

Eco Sock dyed in Summer Gold

Once your have all of your materials, you're ready to start dyeing!

Here's a quick link to see the packets in action

Prior to getting started, prep your work space by protecting your work surface. Wear clothes you might not mind getting stained, and have old towels available in case of spills. **Please wear a dust mask when handling powdered dye. Once the dye is in the water you may remove your mask.

1. Soak your fiber in hot tap water, making sure it's submerged and fully saturated.

2. Bring 8 cups of water to a boil using a kettle or coffee pot. If using a stainless steel pot, boil 8 cups of water on the stovetop then turn off heat.

3. Add boiled water to a gallon glass jar. If using a stainless steel pot, move on to step 4.

4. Add dye packet and stir to dissolve the dye.

5. Remove fiber from hot tap water soak and gently squeeze out the excess water. Do not wring!

6. Carefully submerge fiber into the dye bath. You may move the fiber around to make sure color is evenly distributed, but try not to agitate the fibers too much as they may felt.

7. Add citric acid packet and carefully stir in.

8. Let steep for 10-15 minutes until dye bath is clear.

9. Remove yarn and soak in a hot water bath to remove any excess dye. Do not wring as fibers may felt.

10. Hang yarn or set out fiber to dry.

See!? Super easy. Once your yarn or fiber is dry it's ready to use!

A quick note about color. Colors can vary SO much from skein to skein. Fiber content, water PH, and even water temperature can alter the color. If you plan on dyeing more than one skein of the same color and using them in the same project, I would dye both of them together using 2 packets and a bit more water.