Dyeing with Wilton?

Creating Yarn: Spinning, Dyeing, etc.
1

I’ve never died yarn before, but would like to give it a try. First, a few questions:

I’ve heard of using Koolaid, but has anybody used Wilton food colouring? I thought it would give me more colour options.

This is the yarn I would be dyeing: http://www.knitpicks.com/yarns/Bare_Superwash_Merino_DK_Yarn__D5420164.html
When the project is finished, will washing it cause the colours to fade?

If I were to dye this yarn: http://www.knitpicks.com/yarns/Bare_Superwash_Merino_Wool_Nylon_Sport_Yarn__D5420189.html
would the colour take into the nylon?

Any help is appreciated!! :wink:

2

hi

yes you can dye with wiltons… i started with wiltons and food coloring

washing and sunlight will cause fading overtime

i’m pretty sure that these socks were dyed with wiltons

[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/foxyie/2080067080/" title="Sock4141 by foxyie.etsy.com, on Flickr)

the yarn is KP superwash… they have faded with machine washing…but even more so on the bottom from wear

nylon does dye with acid dyes…and takes dye quite well… but i’ve only used jacquard dye for nylon…so i’m not sure how it will take to food coloring

3

Thanks for the info - your socks look awesome! Love the colours…

4

I have also dyed with Wiltons! Just make sure to wear gloves or your hands will turn strange colors!

5

I have dyed with Wilton. Just be aware that cake dye often “splits” out into 2 or more colors. I’ve yet to find a lavender that didn’t split out into fuschia and some blue too. And my greens sometimes split out to blue too. I like many of the effects, tho, so I use cake dyd preffy often. I find it colorfast on wool.

Also I have a pink cake dye (Cake Create) that I just love, but I would only use it on loose fiber that is to be carded, because no matter how hard I try, the fist bit into the water really takes the dye - at such a rate that by the time the top is in, it doesn’t get any. But by the time I’ve carded it, it evens out, and I love the finished color. I call it “bubble gum” and it is very popular with young ladies.

6

For dyeing with Wiltons or food coloring, you can use vinegar as a mordant either by soaking the yarn to be dyed in vinegar and water before dyeing, or adding vinegar to the wilton/food coloring & water (or both!)

Black really splits out! Especially if you immerse the fiber/yarn slowly into the pot.