handmade by stefanie

Note: a version of this post originally appeared on the Nancy's Knit Knacks blog, for whom I was ghost writing for at the time. Since the future of this business is in flux (last I checked, the website  was password protected with a conflicting coming soon/closing business message), I wanted to make sure that this tutorial wasn't lost, so I am republishing it here. Have you ever admired a skein of hand dyed yarn and wondered if you could produce similar results at home? There are many methods of dyeing yarn: you can dip-dye, steam dye, kettle dye, solar dye, or even ice dye - but the basic principles are the same: heat is used to transfer pigment onto fiber, often using a  mordant  or  fixative  to aid the process.  Dyeing can be messy, and some dyes create harmful fumes that the at-home dyer may not want to invite into their living space. The good news is that there are plenty of safer options to try: Kool-Aid, food coloring, and even easter egg dye can be used to dye yarns an