On Sunday, I put it into skeins becaue it had to be washed and dyed. This is how it looks before the bath. Such curliness. It was like the worst hair day ever. So springy that it would have made a nice mattress. Very strong yarn.
What color to make it.? Because it was already a dull gold, I knew that whatever I used wouldn't come out true. I decided to try a red-violet in the hopes that it would emerge a fuschia color. Hmmm...not so much. It was a a nice color in spots but too uneven and some of the gold still showed. Now what?
I decide to over-dye with a clear blue.
I like how this works - so many colors and blendings. Deep blues, forest greens, sunset pinks, and a hundred shades of green where the blue and gold made their magic.
The yarn is all dried and has been wound into balls now. I've knit up a little sampler swatch so I can see what the colors look like in the various stitches. I quite like the seed stitch. The cables look good, too, but not the lacy parts. So, I know what to eliminate when I design the sweater. And a rolled garter stitch might look OK, too.
I think that gold caterpillar turned into a beautiful butterfly.
Sakes alive, I never! I have never heard of anyone doing anything like this, it's amazing! It has turned out beautiful. You really have an artistic eye to see the caterpillar in the store and know you could turn it into a butterfly. I love the pictures of the transformation. Ant the colore turned out so much like the ones you use.
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful colours! So much better than the original. Very effective reuse.
ReplyDeleteWOW, Wonderful. Great results with 2 lots of dye. Will it become a Project Yarnway challenge piece?
ReplyDeleteWow. It is very pretty!
ReplyDeleteGinny's comment says it all. I'm just blown away that you were able to disassemble the sweater, let alone re-dye the yarn a couple of times! Who knew? I sure didn't! I'm voting for the seed stitch. =)
ReplyDeleteWow! It is GORGEOUS! I was kind of disapointed to see the pink colour cause I kind of liked the original but the end result is AWESOME!!
ReplyDeleteVery, very pretty.
ReplyDeleteNever had the guts to dye wool. But your pics make me want to try it sometime! Beautiful colors. It seems a lot of wool for one sweater!
ReplyDeleteHappy Valentine's Day!
I love the result! I've never dyed wool.
ReplyDeleteGinny - you're right. I did manage to get my usual color palette even though I did try, at first, to move outside blues and greens.
ReplyDeletefabricfan - I'm thinking about making this design part of the challenge. I'm sure it'll fit in somewhere.
Lindy - I think that seed stitch looks like blackberries. The more I look at it the better like it. now to figure out a design.
Jeanette, Rachel - dyeing yarn is so much fun. I use Majic Carpet dyes which are very satisfying and easy. I also dye a lot of my rug hooking wool fabrics.
Thanks to all for your encouragement. You'll see it here first whatever I decide to do.
Hi Stephanie, I left a comment on this earlier today, but it seems to have not posted. Forgive me if it appears twice... the gist was...
ReplyDeleteYou're so creative! To think of dyeingis one thing, but over-dyeing?
The colour and your words remind me of "The Forty Shades of Green". This is a nice version, but his sweater is not nearly as nice as yours will be
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5r6o_if2BNs&feature=related
Hope you enjoy it!
What a ton of work but you are a magician! The new colours are great!
ReplyDeleteLove this Stephanie! You have great talent and are very patient as well to rip and dye a jumper! I guess it's possible but I'd never think of it. The secret must be to have pure wool or a high wool content mix, or cotton or some natural fibre.
ReplyDeleteI like the sampler too - I have to relearn a lot of those textured patterns as I haven't done them in years since I made Aran jumpers in Africa for friends!
Catherine