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Winneybears and FriendsI am having fun with Kool Ade dying. I know we covered this topic except does anyone have any favorite mixing the packages for certain color recipes ?
I know if you use more packages of a color you get a darker color saturation..
If you add salt at a ratio of 2 Tablespoons to 1 package Kool Ade and 2 cups water ( for a small bear, 8" or so) it makes for a lighter more subdued color...say ,Grape will then turn out like a dusty sort of purple which I love...I got this from Nancy Tilburgs book.
I used Pink Lemonade with NO salt added and it looks about the same color as Cherry WITH salt except the backing did not get as colored with the Pink Lemonade. The pink does not look pink...darn. I have to go out a find some Sharkleberry ...on one of those links given when we talked about this it shows some yarn dyed using Kool Ade and only one looked like the pink I want.
The other thing I may try is Easter Egg dyes...I bought a bunch last year at Walmart clearance for 50 cents a package... So..anyone got recipes ?...Winney
Sorry I haven't mixed any colors but I just tried the kool aid dye as well. I tried the orange and it is a beautiful color!
Jane
Hi Winney!
I just bought some Easter Egg dye!! I thought I'd play around a little and see what happens. It will have to wait until mid week next week though. I'm absolutely swamped. No playing for me just yet!
Warmest bear hugs, :hug:
Aleta
P.S. Post your results if you get to play before I do, okay?
Acid Attic BearsI just love to add a little grape to the red colors. And I think that grape+one of the neon turquoise blue (there are two of three tastes like that I think) makes a good storm blue.
I always forgot to write my recipes ! :doh:
:hug:
Posts: 139Although this has nothing to do with Kool Ade, it does have something to do with dye recipes! 
I found this stuff recently and thought it was fairly interesting.
http://www.ljfibers.com/booksdye.html
Does anyone know if there are other sources like this?
Hugs,
Lyn
Winneybears and FriendsLyn...That book dye site is neat. I saved a bunch of dying site a long time ago..just need some time to look thru them.
I have not tried the easter egg dyes yet..I may do that this week.
I am dying for 8" small bears so I used 1 PKG Kool Ade, 2 cups water, and if you want a lighter muted color add 2 Tbl. salt.
Kool Ade Ice Blue... an intense Robins egg blue , real pretty on the turquoise side.
I put salt in half the solution and love that, its a light/ pastel Robins egg blue .
I want a Powder Blue..anyone know how to get that? I will add to this list when I do some more experiments...Winney
Winneybears and FriendsOops..I forgot to say I left the pre-wetted fur fabric in for 30 min.
If you are dying felt for pads ...wash the felt first to remove sizing then dye it for 1 hr.= twice as long as fur fabric.
Winney
Pandy Potter BearsEaster egg dyes! Thanks for the tip. Home bargains (not sure if they have them down south) were doing them for 39p. I bet they have all gone. 
I'm going on Thursday so hopefully there are some left.
Winneybears and FriendsOk I'm backkkkk... I went to http://www.paasdyes.com looked there for color recipes. there isnt any. but fun place to visit.
Then I went to http://www.ritdye.com/craft_faq.asp this page has a link for all the colors RIT carries.... then much to my delight another link for their CUSTOM color recipes !!!! Yeahhh !!!! I found the one I think that will work for Powder Blue...it is their Evening Blue just mixed with lesser powder or...dyed in less time.
I want to mention that it would be best to use a 2nd hand store pot and measuring tools when useing Rit dyes as it is not a food product. WQhen I get done dying I think I will heat set the dye after its dried with a hair dryer. Especially with the easter egg dyes.
I read somewhere you can also use unsweetened jello instead of Kool Ade...and there is another drink brand called Favorade... I will check back in here another day with some results ....Winney
Posts: 8,574Oh Loretta,
I love that you ae feeling well and getting into all sorts of colorful mischief.
can you post pictures of your colors?
hugs
dilu
PottersHouse BearsI have found that the generic brands of drink mix (Walmart etc.) work just as well as Kool Ade. I don't really have a recipe. I just get in there and go.
Flying Fur StudiosI love to dye with kool-aid! Soo much fun, and so cheap!
I also don't have any recipes, I just go for it, and I never write anything down.
Makes me not want to drink kool-aid though. To think of all that dye in your body! LOl
I wonder if crystal light would work? I'm drinking the most wonderful shade of orange right now...............
Winneybears and FriendsWhen you all take quick photos of " stuff " to post here , do you go thru setting up the light tent, etc. ? This would exclude Shelli as she has her set up ready all the time as it has its own closet..lucky gal.. ...Winney
Flying Fur StudiosWinney, I don't. I have one desk lamp with a bendable arm, so when I'm taking a quick shot of something, I just place the light above the object and WAMMO! take a picture.
And I envy Shelli, for the 'always there, always ready' photo studio.
Winneybears and FriendsThanks Heather, there are times when I would love to get a photo to show , it helps when trying to explain something as....." a picture is worth a thousand words".
Hmmm. now thinking...a real small light box would be great for small items . perhaps just a cardboard frame ( cut out sections on all sides except for one, cut it all out there) then toss a white simi trasparant cloth over it...that would work ! Hey...if the item is real small ...a big lamp shade would work...improvise, improvise...Winney
Flying Fur StudiosWinney, that's a great idea! A mini light tent. Easy to do as well. I have lots of boxes that would work.
Like I need another thing to make, but still. I want one now!
Winneybears and FriendsI just tried the Rit Eveningblue trying to get that Powder Blue..for a 8" bear..
I use 2 cups hot water in a plastic container , 1/8 teaspoon dye, for 15 min. kept stirring it all the time and checking.
I threw in the felt too at the same time..it came out darker then the fur fabric.( just the opposite of egg dye)
OK..its light blue...not powder, so..some adjustment would be to dye for only 10 min. or use less dye..
I rinsed well, spread the little parts out onto a towel, gently brushed the fur down . ...Winney
Baird'sBears
HELP! I'm a total dye-rookie!
Can someone explain the difference between using salt and using no salt? Vinegar and no vinegar? Dyes that color the back and dyes that don't?
My two little experiments taught me
1) that it pays to read the instructions, esp those explaining which fibers the dye works on and which not, and
2) how to spell 'mordant'.
That's about the extent of my knowlege, folks.
Eileen
Winneybears and FriendsHmmm. using salt with Kool Ade ...you get a more muted color, less color..so it's not so bright.
When useing egg dyes they have on the package to add vinigar...I believe this is what sets the dye.
I found with Rit it also colors the cotton backing...with egg dye it MIGHT color the backing but often it come out just tinted..especially with the lighter colors as they dont stay in the dye bath very long.......Winney
Baird'sBears Thanks, Winney!
I guess teas and Rit and Kool Aid are the only types of dye that colors backing and pile about equally.
I tried an acid dye that worked beautifully on the mohair pile, but didn't touch the cotton backing. Icky.
I might try overdying with Rit.
Winneybears and FriendsI read in Nancy Tilburgs book to use onion skins..you will get a nice golden color ..I have not tried it yet. Winney
Baird'sBears ONion Skins! Of course--I forgot. Thanks, Winney :hug:
Country BearsWhat do the onion skins do?? 
Flying Fur StudiosClare, the onion skins give off the color. They are used instead of any other dye.
