Kool-Aid Dyeing with Kids

Have you ever done Kool-Aid dyeing? I have, and I loved the results, which you can read about over on About. It’s really quick and easy, and because Kool-Aid is safe to drink you don’t need any special equipment like you would if you used harsher dyes — just use a regular pot on the regular stove.

But what if you want to involve your kids in the really fun process of dyeing yarn? Palak over at Make it Handmade wanted to do just that, and she’s got some great tips for doing just that.

She used a slow cooker instead of a pot on the stove and dyed the yarn in two stages so some of it is a little darker than the rest, giving a subtle striping to finished knits made with it without any trouble at all. She also threw in an already knit hat to give it some color, which is just brilliant.

Have you ever dyed with kids? I don’t have a slow cooker but that’s such a great idea!

[Photo via Make it Handmade.]

Next Pattern:

The other day I saw a post from Pinterest about trends for summer and it said one of them was “cultivating whimsy.”

Well, I don’t know where Pinterest has been all this time, but we’ve been cultivating whimsy here at Craft Gossip for a long time. I love sharing projects that are a little different, things that make you smile when you see them, and will make you smile when you knit them and wear them or use them.

Such it is with the Tutti Frutti tee knitting pattern from Bea Creative Knits.

This cute little baby tee is worked top down in the round with contiguous shoulder construction to shape the sleeve caps. There are short rows for the neckline and folded hems with picot edging at the hemline, neckline and edges of the sleeves.

All of this would be great on its own, but then there’s the addition of a super cute fruit icon, which is added with duplicate stitch. There are a lot of options, including strawberry, banana, orange, cherries, watermelon, lemon, blueberries, kiwi, peach, dragon fruit, apple and pear, so it’s likely you can add on your favorite fruit.

It is offered in eight sizes, to fit a bust measurement ranging from 28-30 inches (71-76 cm) to 56-58 inches (142-147 cm). The design is meant to be worn with around 6.3 inches/16 cm of negative ease, but you can choose the fit you prefer. There’s also optional bust and waist shaping included in the pattern if you want to make it even curvier.

This is considered an advanced beginner or intermediate project because of all the skills involved, but it’s sure to be a lot of fun even if some of these techniques are new to you.

Grab a copy of the pattern for yourself form Bea Creative Knits on Etsy.

[Photo: Bea Creative Knits]

Next Pattern:

Comments

Have you read?