Something New - Dying Yarn

I accidently linked to this post for this week's favorite thing Friday. This one was last week's! click here for this week's post!
Today, I took my first foray into hand dying yarn. It's something I have been thinking a lot about lately, and after much research and some investment, I took the leap. If you care to, follow along as I dye my first yarn!

My 462 yards of bare yarn, out of the washing machine. This particular yarn is machine washable and dryable, so that step was super easy and quick.

The yarn before it went into the machine. Tying it like that was hugely unneccassary, as it just unwound itself. I was planning on doing two, but I was worn out after one, so left it at that.

The two dyes I used (purple and blue) and some citric acid.

Soaking in the pot at 100 degress F for ten minutes.

The blue dye dissolved in some warm water.

After soaking at 100 degrees, the dissolved dye was added. The temp was raised to 175 for another ten minutes. I used a chopstick to stir everything.

Once it has soaked at consistant 175 for ten, citric acid is added. The temp is then slowly raised, until the bath is cleared, or mostly cleared.

After the citric acid was added.

I really wanted a yarn with more than one color, but I'm not quite ready for handpainting. So I decided to cross my fingers and repeat the process again with just one half of the yarn.

The purple side being dyed.

Once the dye bath is clear, let it cool. Once cool, rinse, and then let dry! Yay! Yarn!

I made one little mistake. I decided since the yarn was machine dryable, that instead of letting it air dry, I would just pop it in the machine with my clothes that were being washed anyways. Well, I don't think this would have even been a problem at all, but I forgot to turn the temp to low. So it felted a wee little bit.

But once it was peeled apart and wound in a ball, it's not even noticable! And I know not to do it again.
All in all, I am so proud of myself. These pictures honestly don't do the color justice. The dye was awesome, and organic too!
So all of this inspired a giveaway! Enter here!

Dying instructions The dye kit I bought