Kool-aid dying technique.
Would someone please post the process for doing it in the microwave. I know its rather simple but I misplaced my notes on the subject and I am wanting to dye some grizzly today to a yellow, or yellowish-olive color.
Thanks in advance!
Click on “search” at the top right. Type in kool aid. The answers are there.
LadyFisher, Publisher of
FAOL
I’ve done just what you’re trying to do, and it’s easy. Be SURE to use unsweetened Kool-Aid. Put some water in a Pyrex dish and add the Lemon flavor (I think it’s Lemonade these days), until you get a nice yellow. Add a touch of Green (Lime), and a smidge of orange (hardly any) to get a yellow-olive. Then nuke for 3 minutes on high. Don’t add too much orange, just enough to dirty it up a bit. If you don’t see the color you want in the dish, start over. You’ll need at least two packs of each color, so you can play around. You can get a nice Harrop PMD colored grizzly hackle if that’s what you’re shooting for.
Eric
Eric,
Can you dye chinelle using this same method? Or even better what all does the method work for and does the dye ever wear off?
Marko
Here you go again LOL 
Ron
[url=http://www.thepiper.com/fiberart/koolaid/:f5788]http://www.thepiper.com/fiberart/koolaid/[/url:f5788]
I appreciate the answers and I dyed a couple of saddle feathers in a test batch already and must say I am quite happy with the result thusfar.
However, I am curious and maybe someone can answer the following question:
Is it possible to work with Rit Dye and the Veniard Dyes while dying small lots of material in the same fashion?
I am only talking about dying very small amounts of material such as a WHITING 100 Packs.
I would also like to possibly dye very, very small patches of hair, maybe 1 inches or two inches square.
RkyMtnGuy sorry if it seems like im stealing ur post, but im really not trying to.
anyways, i tied the kool-aid dying method, and dyed some pheasent tail, and grizzly hackle a green, turned out a little brighter then i imagend but i will find a use, i was wondering what colors i would have to mix together to get a nice ginger color for grizzly hackle, thanks
Hi all, I’ve been doing all kinds of dying, Kool-Aid, Rit, Veniards, and Dylon, VERY small quantities, i.e. just 10 or 12 hackles, or a few mallard feathers, and it’s all VERY easy. Kool-Aid IS quite color-fast, though you’d never dream it. Alice Conba got me hooked on Dylon all purpose dyes, available in Canada. Just put a little water in the bottom of a saucepan, heat to a boil, sprinkle in the dye, turn down to a simmer, and throw in your stuff. Add salt about halfway through, works like a champ. Kool-Aid ONLY dyes animal products, wool, hackle, fur, etc. It WILL NOT dye acrylics or various fake furs. The other dyes will I believe. I dye mainly hackle, feathers, and wool yarn. All the dyes are easy to use, just don’t think for a second you have to do a whole neck. Small quantities mean better control, and least for me. I’m sure I waste dye, but I love having the power to do what I want color-wise.
Eric
I dye in small batches using RIT, Koolaid, Jello or other food dyes. I heat a cup of 2/3 water and 1/3 vinager in the micro-wave for 2 min. then add small quantities of dye an eye dropper.
This is enough dye for a few dozen hackle feathers or a small swatch of fur. I add the material to the hot dye bath and let it soak for a few minutes. I might repeat the heating cycle a few times if I want the color darker. I wash and rinse the finished material in mild dish soap and tap water and dry on paper towels. If I want the stuff in hurry I use a hair dryer on it. Stuff loose feathers like marabo or mallard in a section of nylon stocking and wrap the opening around a hair dryer
It’s easy and quick enough that I might dye up just a dozen or so hackles for a particular pattern I want to tie. The only down side is that it is hard to repeat results using small quantities. Much easier to control things in large batches.
Dry RIT dye is made of salt crystals coated with highly concentrated dye powder. The dye strength may not be consistant in each spoonful. Mix dry dye or koolaid with 8 oz. of water to convert to liquid.
If you are really into dying things and have connections via family or friends or your spouse, have your feathers dyed by a hair dresser. With today’s crazy colors, they can dye your feathers or whatever, any color and shade you want. My daughter is a professional hair dresser and she dyed a dry fly neck hackle the best silver blue dun I have seen. She took about 6 feathers and dyed each one slightly different to find the color I liked. She then dyed the neck the color and shade I selected. It only took about 30 - 45 minutes. It was great!!
Dr Bob
I’ve never used Kool Ade to dye with. How do the colors hold up. Do they fade?
[This message has been edited by mantis (edited 17 October 2005).]
Guys,
Here’s a link:
[url=http://www.thepiper.com/fiberart/koolaid/:3468c]http://www.thepiper.com/fiberart/koolaid/[/url:3468c]
Yes, the colors do hold up. How long however, I giess depends on exposure, climate and all other factors. That’s true of most dyed materials, especially naturals.
Allan