As we’re coming up to Easter, Easter Egg dyes are back in the stores and I plan to lay in a serious stock of them before they disappear. I have discovered, however, that all brands are not created equally.
Until now, I have been using PAAS tablet dyes and they have worked very well for me in all colors and color combinations. This year I noticed another brand on the shelves - a slightly less expensive one - and since I like to save money as much as the next person, I checked it out. A close reading of the directions on the box indicated that while vinegar should be used to dissolve the tablets for the brightest, most vibrant color, the red/pink (and sometimes violet) tablets should only be dissolved in water. From previous experience with red pigments, I take this to mean the vinegar will neutralize most or all of the red tones. For me, that makes this unsuitable for use as yarn dye. The PAAS dyes all worked perfectly with vinegar, even the reds.
However, there was also some Easter Egg dye, packaged exclusively for Wal-Mart, that didn’t include that caveat. Reading down the list of colors, I could see that the names were exactly the same as those of the PAAS colors (for example: Denim for blue) and conjectured that PAAS was doing a special packaging for WalMart corporation. If these were the same dyes, they would be fine to use (all colors, even with vinegar) and they were much less expensive - about half the price of the regular PAAS dyeing kits.
I bought a few to try out. Of course I homed in on the reds because if there was going to be a problem, that’s where it would be. The result was this:
This is Gypsy Rose and you can see the whole entry over at The Dye Pot.
I imagine a lot of the expense of the kits comes from the decorations usually included in the box - stickers, stands, various and sundry borders and so forth. I would be absolutely thrilled if they would offer a straight packet of dye tablets with none of the other stuff included.
Though I have to admit, I did succumb to playing with the stickers:
I ripped the sock from Wednesday’s post because I just couldn’t work at sock gauge with the dark yarn. IT will get saved for something else - likely something worked on larger needles :) But I did re-start the socks in a yarn I could actually see to work with - Ibis.
I also went down a needle size, from 3s to 2s and the diameter is much better. This isn’t a tight pattern and it has quite a bit of give in it so I didn’t want it to be too loose. It is stretched a bit over the end of Myria’s DS case in the picture, to give you a better look at the pattern. I hope to finish the first one this weekend.
We will both be nursing horrendous colds this weekend - oh joy :) My sinuses have declared a state of emergency and poor Myria’s voice has fled for the hills. So likely we will be staying put, staying warm and trying not to cough on each other too much! Thank heavens for soup and soda crackers…
Have a good one :)
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Pretty socks! Hope you feel better soon.
sorry about the colds there- in this area, spring has begun, so most people are wheezing and dripping from allergies, as the trees and grasses are beginning to ‘green up’- i am a tough old moose without allergies, but i can sympathize with those who have to spend this season clutching a tissue-
‘gypsy rose’ is really pretty, although i remain utterly smitten by ‘ibis’- umm, wonder if i am entering a ‘pink phase’- if so, i need to have had this phase during dana’s ‘year of pink socks’- this is her self-proclaimed ‘year of purple socks’ and i haven’t yet been too charmed by that color- wonder if she will ever have a ‘khaki phase’ so we can be on the same page?
along with the egg dye kits, have you ever seen more easter candy available? all the little people around here have already spotted it in the stores and see no reason why they should wait for theirs to be delivered by the good old bunny on easter-
stay happy-
Charlotte - Thanks :)
Barb - I have to admit the Ibis is a real knock-your-eye-out color and a lot of fun to work with :)
I have been trying to avoid looking at the Easter candy as I tend to make pathetic little whimpering sounds when my gaze fall on peanut butter cups or chocolate covered peppermint patties - neither of which I should have, both of which I adore…
get better really soon! big warm hugs !
Lovely sock! (have you ever tried putting stickers on a cat’s feet? funny, but probably not the nicest thing you can do to a cat…
What a cool site :). I’ve put you on my favorites. The pattern for the socks is very nice, I’ve not knit socks before (baby booties only :P), might have to give it a try eventually when I can figure out how to squeeze more time our of my day, hehe. I love the dye information, that is something else I have not tried but I have needed that knowledge sometimes when I cant find the color I am looking for. :) I could spin white or a light color roving and dye it myself :).
Nat - No, I haven’t tried putting the stickers on the cats’ feet - but it’s something to remember for a boring afternoon :) Especially when they’re being a little pair of nags about getting their treats!
LDSVenus - I glad you like the blog. Yes, you certainly could dye your own handspun and anything you made out of it would be that much more personal. Very nice idea!
I love that yarn! So bright and cheery! That stitch pattern is very cool too. I’m not sure I have seen that one before…did you make it up? I might just have to buy some of that easter egg dye and experiment. Yeah…I know, I keep saying that. Maybe I will actually do it this time though….I said maybe lol. :)
Hi, Robbyn.
Have you tried to contact PAAS to see if they’d sell you the tablets by themselves, in bulk?
PAAS
c/o Signature Brands LLC
100 South Fourth Street, Suite 1010
St. Louis MO 63102
1-877-726-8793
I googled and didn’t see any place that does that, but it couldn’t hurt for PAAS to have a year round business selling the little tablets to yarn dyers! :)
Hope you’re feeling a bit better today! End of the season colds are lousy. :(
Lisa - Well, actually I used Wilson’s icing dye for that yarn (all the particulars and the formula are HERE. I expect you could come pretty close with the Easter Egg tablets or even Kool-aid :)
I had added a little brown to this so it wouldn’t be too bright - maybe I should have added a bit more?
Kathleen - I have been mulling over that very thing :) Initially it had seemed to me that since there wasn’t any way to order on line, the company probably wasn’t interested in doing business with retail customers. However, there’s no harm and little lost in writing a letter of inquiry, is there? The worst they could do would be to say “no”!
Bron - Thanks sweetie - we’re doing quite a bit better now :)
The sock looks wonderful. I love that stitch pattern in that yarn. Wise decision.
Opal - Thanks :) I think it’s worked out pretty well though the next pair may be a bit less…brilliant? LOL!
