Resist Dyeing with Spark

May 27, 2020

Tie dye is all the rage right now! You can find this colorful technique splashed across t-shirts, sweatpants and home textiles. We thought it’d be fun to give tie dye a try on yarn. We chose to work with a bare yarn base from Knomad called SPARK. Spark is made from fine merino wool. This soft wool is not only non superwash, but organic as well. It is spun in a plump and round 4-ply construction with lots of loft and elasticity. It knits up at a nice heavy worsted weight. We thought Spark’s satisfying heft would beautifully show off the tie dye effect! Scroll down to see the results of our fun experiment, and learn how to make your own. Share what you make using #knomadyarn!

Materials

1 or more skeins of undyed yarn. We used Knomad yarn’s Spark – 100% fine organic merino wool, 100 grams / 219 yards
Zip ties of any size
Dye for silk and wool, any color you like. We used the color Indigo from Dharma Trading Company.
Citric acid or white vinegar
Your regular set up for heat setting yarn

Tie the Yarn

Untwist your yarn completely and fold the skein in half, as seen in the photo above. Place a zip tie completely around the skein and pull it closed tightly. Repeat with as many zip ties as you like, keeping in mind that the more zip ties you use, the more raw, undyed area your finished yarn will have.

Soak the Yarn

Soak the yarn in a bath of room temperature water with a dash of citric acid or white vinegar for at least 30 minutes. While your yarn soaks, mix your dye.

Mix the Dye

Being careful to follow safety precautions, mix the amount of dye you need to get the color saturation you desire with an equal amount of citric acid or white vinegar. Add water to make a dye stock. Alternatively, you can use dye stock you have already mixed. Prepare a bath of water in a pot or pan large enough to submerge the yarn. Add the dye stock and stir to combine.

Add the Yarn

Remove the yarn from the presoak, gently squeezing out any excess liquid. The yarn should be damp but not soaking wet. Gently add the yarn to the dye bath. Turn the heat on low and heat for about half an hour. Gently flip the skeins every 5-10 minutes so the yarn colors evenly. Once the yarn is the color you like, turn off the heat and allow it to cool completely.