Gina Rockenwagner

Posted on: How to dye yarn Sand DuneAugust 6, 2020

How to Dye Warm Weather Friendly Yarn

Knitting in the summer is a bit of a conundrum. You’d think long summer days full of lounging on the beach or hanging out by the fireside would make the perfect opportunity to get some knitting in. Unfortunately knitting in the heat can sometimes be a feat of endurance greater than running across hot sand barefoot! So what are we knitters to do when the weather is hot, abandon all that prime knitting time for another hobby? I’m not so easily convinced to give up my favorite activity!

The mercury rising here in North America has me reaching for lightweight yarns and small projects like socks and baby gifts. Fingering weight yarns in blends with warm weather friendly fibres like silk and hemp make for excellent summer knitting projects. Luckily, Knomad offers some great blends that aren’t too hot. I wanted to make a top featuring a Knomad yarn in a fibre blend suitable for warmer weather, especially since I live in a pretty warm climate. I chose SAND DUNE because it has a distinct tweedy look that I don’t usually expect to find in a predominantly silk yarn. Each skein has a generous 437 yards, which means 5 skeins is plenty to make a top of almost any size!

I set out to dye 5 skeins of SAND DUNE to make a cute knit or crochet top. Dyeing the beautiful yarn could not be easier! The silk in the blend beautifully soaks up color with minimal effort. It practically dyes itself! I think it will be much harder to select a pattern. Let me know what you would make from 5 skeins of SAND DUNE in the comments!

MATERIALS

• 5 skeins of Knomad SAND DUNE yarn – 52% Mulberry Silk, 24% Super Kid Mohair, 20% Fine Merino Wool, 4% Viscose
• Dharma Trading co dye for silk and wool. This color is called Valentine Blush
• Citric Acid
• Gram scale
• A cup to mix the dye in
• Your regular set up for heat setting yarn
• Optional: zip ties

SOAK THE YARN

Loop a zip tie around each skein of yarn, if you are using them.

Soak the yarn in lukewarm water with a dash of citric acid for about 1 hour.

MIX AND MEASURE THE DYE

Use the gram scale to weigh out 5 grams of dye in a cup. Add an equal amount of citric acid to the cup, and then add enough hot water to dissolve the dye. Stir gently.

DYE THE YARN

Add the contents of the dye cup to a cold pot or pan. Add water to the pan until you have enough liquid to cover the yarn. Remove the yarn from the soaking liquid and gently squeeze to remove excess. Add the yarn to the dye bath and heat for about 15 minutes or until the water is clear. Allow the yarn to cool completely.

RINSE AND DRY

Rinse and dry the yarn as you normally would. Enjoy your finished yarn! Make sure to tag us using #Knomadyarn so we can see all your fabulous projects.