Dyeing yarn with Kool-Aid drink mix is a topic that is heavily discussed on many fiber-related lists. Many people write to lists to ask what color they will get with a particular flavor. I hope to put those questions to rest by including a color card on this page. I only have a few flavors now, but I hope to eventually have most (if not all) the flavors posted.

First, it is important to note that Kool-Aid will only effectively dye protein fibers--wool, mohair, angora, alpaca, etc. However, I have only experimented with wool. In the first method described below, I used Berella Muskoka 100% machine washable merino wool, which I purchased at my local Hobby Lobby. Some people say that this won't work on superwash wool, but this simply is not true. I have had great success with Kool-Aid dyeing machine washable wool. It has also been my experience that the dye does not fade after the garment has been run through the washer AND dryer many many times.

There are two methods I use to color fiber with Kool-Aid. The first is to dye the yarn. I first soak the yarn in a mixture of warm water and a glug of white vinegar. While the yarn soaks, I prepare the drink mix. I like to paint the skeins so that there are a number of colors in one skein. I use small plastic cups to mix the powder with water. I mix one package of powder with about 1/4 cup warm water--if you use more water, the color will be less bright; less water will result in brighter colors. Then, I gently squeeze any excess water from the yarn and place it in a microwave-safe container (an 8X8 glass caserole dish works great). Then, I paint the yarn using a plastic syringe, a stencil brush and anything else I can come up with to apply the color to the fiber. Next, place the container of yarn in the microwave. Cook on high for 2 minutes, let it rest for 2 minutes, then cook for 2 more minutes on high. At this point, I usually place the whole container on a windowsill to cool. Once it is cool enough to handle, rinse in water the same temperature as the yarn until the water runs clear. Gently squeeze out as much liquid as possible and hang the yarn to dry. The following is a swatch knitted from yarn dyed in this manner. I knit my daughter a vest and matching hat using this yarn. To see the garments follow these links: vest, hat. These garments have been machine washed and dried over and over and have never faded, nor has the color bled onto other garments.

The second method is to dye roving before spinning it into yarn. I have only tried this once, and I was very happy with the results. I used the method described at Gleason's Fine Woolies Ranch web site. The method is described for using acid dyes, but I used it--with a few modifications--for Kool-Aid with great success. My modifications: Instead of soaking the roving in soapy water for an hour, I just soaked it in a vinegar/water mix for about 30 minutes. Obviously, ignore the info about mixing the acid dyes. This does not apply to Kool-Aid. Also, I only steamed mine for 20-30 minutes instead of 45 minutes. I'm just impatient, but they turned out fine. The following are swatches knitted from yarn that was spun from Kool-Aid dyed rovings.

Now, what you've all been waiting for: The Color Card! These have all been dyed using the first method above. The yarn I used was Berella Muskoka, 100% machine washable merino wool.

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Site last updated on August 14, 2005.