i want to dye some cottontots

[woolandflax]

But i'm not sure how to do cottons? should i use koolaid? or easter egg dyes, or food coloring? Oh and I don't have a microwave at the moment, so what's the best method for this situation? Please, give me tips!! I so want to finish this as it is part of a swap!!;)

[natalie058]

I think those methods will only work for protein (animal) fibers.

RIT would work for cotton.

[threeolivemartini]

youare right natalie.. RIT dye is best for those.. I still use my nuker though to heat it .. cause i dont wanna simmer it in a pot like the directions say .. LOL i like more than one colour ..

[woolandflax]

if i use the Rit dyes, is there any way to "paint" the yarn, i wasn't really wanting a solid color.

[threeolivemartini]

this is what i do rebecca.. cause the instructions call for having it be in hot water for like 20 minutes.. i paint it and wrap it like i would wool and i nuke mine for about 5 minutes.. let it rest a little and nuke it again for 5 minutes.. let it rest and one more round of 5 minutes.. the dye will not run clear like wool.. but it will have taken anyway .. if you do not have access to a microwave my suggestion would be to wrap it up and either steam it on the stove.. or use a crock pot..

[monkeemaven]

I've dyed some clothing with RIT and had major problems with bleeding, despite following the instructions to the letter... for once. No idea on how to paint the yarn with RIT, if it's possible at all.

To some extent, you can use Wilton's, Kool-Aid, and icing dyes, but they will barely stick on the cotton.

For vibrant colours, I'd suggest Procion-type dyes like what come in tie-dye kits. One common name would be Rainbow Rock (http://www.duncancrafts.com/products/product.asp?ID=16&SID=1) - they're sold even in Wal-Mart. The kits might seem a bit pricey and will have extra things that you won't need for yarn, but the bottles of dyes will cover quite a bit of yarn. (I bought a passel of the "Dazzle Dye" bottles on closeout from Hobby Lobby, and will have enough to dye cotton for a looooong time.)

Hand-painting is possible with this type of dye, in a way. You mix up your multiple bottles of dye, soak the yarn in the soda ask mixture, lay your yarn out on a proper surface, and then squirt the dyes on in whatever pattern your heart desires. I've done both this and a sinister approach for longer stripes, and they came out gorgeous.

Note: if the instructions say to run your yarn/fabric through the washer, IGNORE THEM. Do NOT put your hank in the washer. My hank looks like a work of art tangled as it is.