Gwen: Kool Aid Dyeing

This was part of a discussion thread on the SRESafeHaven mailing list at Yahoo Groups. It has been reprinted here with Gwen's explicit consent. Click on any photo to see a larger version.

Well today we will call K-- for Kool Aid!! I have played on and off all day and had so much fun!! I want to share some of my tips so you can either get the great results -- or say -- I sure do not want that to happen!

Tip #1 -- Buy plenty of paper towels (K-Mart has them on sale today - Bounty - 8 rolls for $5.00)

Tip #2 -- Have white vinegar on hand (ask me why I went to K-Mart at the crack of dawn)

Tip #3 -- Wear old clothes

I used 5 packages of Kool-aid - I will describe the results with each flavor I used today!!

Basic recipe l - 6 ounces of water and 2 ounces of white vinegar

Heat in a Pyrex bowl in the microwave the water for 2 minutes-remove and add vinegar. Add ribbon (I used 5 yards of both 7 mm and 4 mm in each beginning dye bath) Add ribbon and allow to soak 5 minutes. Pour out about 1/4 cup of the mixture from the bowl into a glass measuring cup and add the dry Kool-Aid mix. Stir to dissolve and then pour this mix in with the ribbon. Cover with saran wrap -venting one corner and put into microwave and heat on high for 5 minutes. Stir gently after 5 minutes. For some colors I needed to cook a little more. You want the water to get very clear or extremely lighter or even a milky white color. Let cool for 15 minutes or so and then rinse till water runs clear. (some colors need a LOT of rinsing!)

(Click on images to enlarge)

Swirlin Strawberry Starfruit - WONDERFUL RESULTS!! Full strength first dye bath gets you the most gorgeous color of coral - if you have ever seen a Tropicana rose - this is it!!. I then added 4 more yards of ribbon to the leftover dye bath and got the perfect shade of very light dainty baby pink. This color may get overdyed later!

Ice Blue Raspberry Lemonade - WONDERFUL RESULTS ! First full strength dye bath gets a beautiful Caribbean blue. Very bright -- would be great on a seascape!! I then added 4 more yards to the leftover dye bath and got a very gentle shade of baby blue! Still had the hue of Caribbean == but a pastel hue. I really like this!

Tangerine - Good Orange color. Next bath got a pretty light peach color!!

Cherry - Bright RED!! Second bath - got a pale pastel pink

WalMart Grape - OH MY - at first I thought I had black ribbon. As it cooled in the rinse water it became navy. Why do I need navy ribbon??? I decided to throw it in with the leftover cherry and I got the coolest brown color - just like milk chocolate ---kind of a reddish brown!! I think I LOVE this color!!

Kool-Aid Grape –nice bluish purple

Klass Tamarind – Gorgeous burnished warm golden color. Next dye bath – light tan.

Klass Watermelon – Bright Coral Red. Second dye bath – warm pinkish peach color – really pretty.

-- Gwen in Texas