Batch dyeing adventures, and I’m loving every twist in the journey.
The first batch of yellow (left) was dyed on dry yarn with no salt, which gave me those beautifully uneven, organic strikes I adore. The middle skein used the exact same formula, but with salt added, suddenly, the color shifted into a smoother wash with a soft green undertone. And the newest batch on the right, same formula as the middle, but I needed a bit more powder dye. Once I ordered more, it bloomed into a completely different shade, almost orange.
I’ve even seen skeins in the same dye bath take color differently. Some grab more pigment, some stay lighter. I don’t see it as a flaw, and maybe that’s just the artist in me, but I love the way I can alternate colors and let the yarn tell its own story. Imperfections make the work feel alive.
Color shifts can happen from pH changes, heat levels, timing, or even one tiny drop of a stronger dye overpowering a weaker one. That’s the magic of experimenting and working with small-batch makers: every skein starts as a blank canvas and becomes an original, not a replica.
Maybe one day, when I have a full studio, things will be different. But for now, my batches are small, intimate, and full of personality, and honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way.