Quick colour question
I have 10 balls of bright-bright-bright pink yarn that I'm never going to use because of the colour (i.e., it's briiiight!). It's a wool-cashmere blend that I bought in Taipei -- does anyone remember my street yarn vendor back then? -- so I do want to use it, because it's nice. Here's my question: what colour would you recommend that I use to dye over the pink? I've never dyed yarn (or anything other than my hair, for that matter), so I'm not sure how different colours will combine to form new shades. I've read that Jacquard dyes are transparent (translucent?), and it's fine if there is still a pinkiness to the yarn. I just want to tone it down. I'd be happy to end up with dark red, or brown; I don't want purple. Should I dye it brown, or "chestnut"? (Specifically, I'm looking at the Knit Picks dyes, since I'm going to order blocking wires from them anyway.) Any opinions are welcome. Here's the yarn I'm talking about: 
My friend Danny was with me the day I bought it. I hesitated because of the colour, but he said, "You have to buy it! It's 'Taiwan Pink'!" Well, now, several years later, I'd prefer "Canada Dull."
16 comments:
I remember "canada dull"! Over past few years I'm learning how to incorporate my "canada dull" tastes with "california brights".
I wish I could give you lots of great dying advice, but I cannot. I'm curious to hear tips on how to consistently dye a lot of yarn.
hmm - I'm no expert for sure. Maybe a very pale blue solution???
If you want a brown, I'd over dye with the pink's colour compliment. In colour theory that would bring you a perfect grey, but with dyes it tends to 'brown out.' I think an army green would work.
Me and Jess are doing some crazy dye work at the moment, so you could conceivable bring over your yarn and 'borrow' our studio (ie. my kitchen).
I have no idea about dyeing, but I just wanted to comment on excellent enabling by your friend Danny! Buy it, buy it!!!
You need to dye with a green. If you want a warmer brown, go for a yellowy green. That's what I imagine anyway...
But how will you fulfill every girl's lifelong fantasy of becoming Barbie if you dye it?
I veto the dye. Viva la Barbie!
I recommend overdyeing with brown, rather than trying to make brown by using green. Tie off a few yards and try it first, to see what effect you get. I'd mix up a flat brown, not too saturated, and let it coat the pink so that you get a subdued, antiqued rose-brown shade. Then try a more saturated brown overdye with another piece, to see what depth of shade you like. I think you'd be better off working with the pink rather than trying to completely negate it.
Good luck!
I recently overdyed an almost fluorescent red sweater with Gaywool Silver Birch which is a dark slate blue. I ended up with a nice deep red.
I'm with Nadia! That color is Fab!
I would probably use black, but I do most of my dying with cake gel dyes for frostings. I would probably do a dark solution of black with either some brown or some red to help bring out the shades of color I wanted.
Maggie definitely has the way of it though. Try dying a small amount to see what color you get. Sometimes the results are bit surprising.
i have no idea what bleach does to yarn but is suggest patch dying it brown to space dye some of it and the maybe bleaching out some of the colour to get a light pink? i would DEFINITELY trade/buy it from you! so fun!
I agree with Maggie. Always swatch if you are feeling anxious, but overdyeing with brown should give a nice red wine brown colour.
Let me just say right off the bat that I have no dying experience outside of kool-aid and have never over-dyed anything. That said, the idea of dying over such a prominent color as that one makes me so nervous! I agree with those folks that suggested you start with a swatch just in case you end up with something purple, or in some shade of vomit-color.
That said, I am all over the bright pinks, bright oranges, you name it. It's my reaction to winters in the midwest. If you're interested in trading, I'd love to send you 10 balls of some JoJo Melody fingering weight wool that is green-orange if you're interested. I just have no idea what to do with it. It's in my ravelry stash here: http://www.ravelry.com/people/hungryknitter/stash/melody but if you're not interested, no hard feelings. :)
I recently scored some bright red-pink alpaca. I test-dyed a strand with plain blue food colouring and got a gorgeous deep burgandy/eggplant colour. I have "just a few things" to finish knitting and then I'll dye the rest!
NO BLEACH PLEASE!
Bleach disintegrates wool. That I do know.
Email the Knitpicks staff, they are super and should be able to recommend something.
I've never tried to overdye anything, but the Rit Dye website has a page on overdying. Even though you're not used Rit, it might help.
http://www.ritdye.com/Questions.50.lasso
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