Loop the loop

So I had a dyeing lesson on Saturday afternoon. Laura Viada at HCCC graciously spent an afternoon with me showing me the ropes. Or the threads, as the case may be. As it turns out, working in micro is a bit of a problem as far as controlling the thread and keeping it from turning into a tangled mess. I pronounce the project a success. In general, there’s no reason for me to dye the thread before crocheting if it’s a solid color; for my purposes, I can dye after crocheting just as easily. However, I experimented with space-dyeing and other painting techniques, and if I want to do more of that, I have to dye the thread first. Below are my preliminary results. Nothing dyed as dark as I expected. It’ll take more scouring at the outset to get deep colors.
Top: A couple of also-rans that aren’t black, but still a nice charcoal gray.
Middle: Space-dyed blues, a light sage green, and a terra cotta.
Bottom: Thread painted from one end to the other, from teal to a nice mauve.
Not pictured: I had a larger doily that I attempted to “paint” with Q-tips. I used bright colors and it looks like clown barf. This part was not a success.

There’s almost 6 yards of thread in this earring. The final diameter is just over 1.5 inches. Huh.

Too many bad puns to choose from. I’m dying to dye! Dyeing and loving it!

I’m going to learn a bit more about dyeing! I met a weaver at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft recently. I haven’t asked permission to broadcast her to the world, so I won’t yet. She mostly dyes her own yarn. I drooled over her looms and she liked my earrings. I know very little about dyeing, though I have made a few tie-dyed t-shirts. Dyeing isn’t exactly a clean-hands activity.

Anyway, the only way these earrings are going to be in other colors is by dyeing. This size thread only comes in white and ecru. I have to dye it in teeny little hanks. I don’t even know how much thread is in a pair of earrings. All I know is that the 470-yd ball lasts for-freakin’-ever. I’m going to have to make the biggest earring, unravel it (ouch!), measure it, and double it.

If I’m feeling brave, I may ask her opinion of my weaving, too.