Microwave Dying Wool Interlock With Wilton's (food) Colouring

Well as I wait for my cuffs, waist and butt circles to ice dye for my wool longies I am dyeing the legs (if said longies) blue with Wilton's royal blue colour (what I usually use for colouring marshmallow fondant for cakes).  This is much quicker.

I added blue colour to a bowl of hot tap water and some vinegar (about 3/4 cup) and stirred.  There was some chunks that didn't dissolve...I'm sure it will add depth instead of symmetrical coverage.  And I like that.

Next I added the leg pieces to the bowl and microwaved for 2 min, let set 2 min (in theory, in reality it was 2-5 because I have a lot going on today before my in laws arrive),  repeat till water us clear.

I thought it was done after second time cuz the water was clear but when I lifted the wool with tongs colour ran off. So back to the microwave.

When finally done I microwaved a bowl of plain water for 2.5 min then took wool out of first bowl and put it to set in second bowl.  I will leave it there till the water cools then dry on the back of a fan.  Since I dont want shrinkage or felting its important to let it cool down at room temperature.

And here the leg peices are dried and laid out with the ice dyed peices it will go with.

Ice Dying Wool Interlock With Wilton's Colouring paste.

Well when the jello dying of interlock shorties looked probably successful I knew i wanted to dye my white interlock fabric.  And I wanted it ice dyed.  But i have no ice cube trays...what to do?   what to do?.....aha! Make coloured ice in metal pie runs then smash when solid.  I can do this.  But I have a limited number for this, plus limited freezer space and limited left over colour.  So I decided I will ice dye butt circles and cuffs,  cuz the longies will be made using monster bunz (mb).

Knowing I would want to start asap I made pans of coloured water while the red jello shorties were soaking.  From there I will have to wait.  I have royal blue and golden yellow.  So I made blue,  yellow and green.

 Once frozen the shorties  should be dry.  If the shorties shrank lots I will just dump the ice I guess.

I also had to make room in my freezer.  This meant lots of stacking.  Tomorrow we shall see if I proceed.  The remaining fabric will be microwaved in blue I think.

Day 2:
The shorties turned out great with no felting so into dyeing my fabric.  I cut out my pieces: 2 butt circles and 2 sets if cuffs (one set in red interlock, one set for a pair I'm dying blue), 1 waist band and one set of legs (to be blue, different post).

Next I hammered the ice.  The yellow was in a 6in cake pan.  That was a mistake as I could only get large chunks.

Then having no suitable rack I placed wool in the front cover of a fan lol.

Poured vinegar water solution over top

Added ice.  Since I'm cooking tonight's chicken now before it gets really hot outside it is in my tiny super hot kitchen.

Once done cooking I moved it outside to my balcony in the sun.  Let's hope I can keep monkey and the cats away from it lol.  And now waiting for ice to melt.

The ice melted pretty quick in the sun.

After that I hung them to dry outside untill my blue dye job (next post after this) was dry and then i moved these peices to the back of my fans.  I squeezed out excess water by hand which gave the back ground a light green tinge.  Rolled in a towel then hung them.  I was surprised by the maroon and bit of purple.  And I am very happy with the results.

The water that dripped into the bowl was such a lovely green i dted my wool scraps in it.  They will either become a wool soaker or or (if big enough) longies.

Dying Wool Interlock Shorties With Jello

I've been wanting to dye my wool.  A few things have stood in my way though.  Budget, even with Daddy Monkey having a new job we are still below the poverty line.  We have money for extras, but with the price of wool its hard to justify adding the price of acid dyes plus shipping.

So I dug around the internet and diacovered wool can be dyed in kool aid, jello and the wiltons (and similar brands) of colouring paste I use for colouring marshmallow fondant.

The idea of boiling or microwaving my wool sent fears of felting down my spine.  Shrinkage of wool is not in my budget.  But then as I failed to fall asleep tonight I remembered  it is agitation and scrubbing (also agitation) that felts wool.  And temperature change in water the at shrinks wool.

Ok I thought, I can try this on his white shorties.  Getting the stains out if them always sucks and he likely won't be wearing them next summer, and its August already.

So I tried 2 packs of no name jello (red) in the microwave method.
1. Microwaveable bowl of water and some vinegar (close to one cup)
2. Mix in jello.  I used 2 bixes because one didn't look dark enough and i know daddy wont want his boy in pink.
3. Submerge shorties
4. Microwave on high 2 min, rest 1.5 min and repeat until water is clear.  One of the sets of instructions I read said 3 times.  It took me 5 or 6 (I lost count).
5. Soak in clean water.  To do this I microwaved a second bowl of water 3 min, then transfered shorties to that bowl.  I read of this being done twice so I mucroved a third bowl right away.  I set the bowl with shorties on the stove as well as the empty bowl so they would be same temperature when I transfer from one bowl to another.  This way the wool shouldn't shrink.

The shorties are currently soaking in the second bowl.  My next decision will be how to dry.  I'd like to dry with my usual fast back of fan method but afraid of sticky jello water.  On the balcony on my drying rack might be safer....but I'm impatient lol.

(Next morning)
I dried them on the back of the fan and so this morning they are dry, no shrinkage or felting (yay).  They aren't a deep or completely solid red.  This (I believe) is because this wool interlock is 3% spandex and acid (and food) dyes are for wool, silk, mohair etc.  But they aren't pink.  Next up, cutting more wool to dye with Wilton colouring paste in an ice dye.

Cute Little Feather Bum

Grabbed a few cute pics of monkey this morning.  He is wearing a flannel. And hemp fitted under a blizzard fleece cover (wrap style), baby legs and a shirt I tie dyed at the Metis centre.

fall longies

Fall is almost upon us and my chunky monkey baby is now a long legged toddler.  His thighs are still a little chunky lol.  He is now 15 months so as I think about fall clothes to go from fall to winter to spring I need to remember my lil monkey will be potty training at some point in that time period.  So rompers are out and longies are the way to go.  I love rompers but they are not easy for a toddler to take on and off during many potty trips.

When searching for wool I found a shop online called New Zealand Merino.  They had wool on sale, wool in prints and shipping turned out to be readonable.  I paid $30 shipping on $50 worth of wool (on sale).  That will work out to about $20 per pair of longies.  Could have been  less but some of the wool is jersey knit and I decided to double it and add an interlock wet zone.

The next feat will be shirts to match and making trainers for that magic day.  I will not be making water proof trainers.  To me thatbisba glorified diaper that allows toddlers to change themselves.

Monster Bunz VS Katrina's (for woolies)

When I started with wool wraps, soakers, longies and shorties I went with Katrina's.  It was free and everybody raved about it and wool works so wonderfully and it was easy to use when up cycling.  Then my friend bought me the monster bunz pattern to make some non wool pants for Monkey.  I loved it.  Then  I made a pair of longies with the pattern and was blown away.  Next I made rompers, shorties and just got carried away modifying the pattern to my every whim.  Yes you have to pay for it and yes it is worth it and you will get your money back for all the woolies and clothes you will make with it for years to come. 

First we will look at 2 pics then a point form list (but the pics show my preference best).  

 This above pic is a pair of yellow shorties made with Monster Bunz (MB).  They fit great in the bum but notice they fit great in the front also, and the waist and well, just all over.

This is a pair of red shorties using Katrina's.  Notice the crotch droop?  Yes they cover his fluff bum but this pattern fits front and back the same and even a cloth diapered bum isn't as fluffy up front, even with the diapers soaker folded to catch boy pee.
*took both these pics this morning in the same diaper for best illustrations.

•MB is cut like pants but with a butt circle to accommodate a fluffy CD bum. The circle comes into the crotch to also accommodate fluff crotch (without droop).
Katrina's accommodates fluff bum by width.  

•MB is more narrow where you add the waist band this makes the waist band fit the waist better, especially if at the age where baby transitions to toddler and slims down in the tummy with all that running around.
Katrina's does not narrow at the waist and I always needed to re-size it. 

•MB grows with the child for a longer fitting time
Katrina's sizes are less accommodating

•Katrina's have an optional second layer in the wet zone
MB does not but I have added one.  It wasn't easy but it is doable for a more experienced seamstress or someone with a lot of patience.  Alternatively you could felt the wool (which will mean the item won't fit as long) or use a thicker sweater or interlock.  I have a pair if interlock shorties that didn't need the extra layer. 

Sleep talk

Ok well sleep rant lol. 

Everybody needs sleep (ask any mom with eye circles. 

Babies, toddlers, pre-schoolers and primary aged kids need lots of it.  Naps (except for most primary aged) and early bed times are a must.  Melatonin is produced in our bodies in a cycle about 30 min before our young ones need sleep. 

Lights, TV, cell phones and tablets etc interrupt this.  Ban them as bed time nears. 

3 -  4 year olds hate sleep the most!! You must pull up your big girl/boy pants and parent to make it happen. 
Your child running around at 10pm "completely un-tired" is NOT the exception.  They are an example of a parent not insisting on a decent bed time.  They may appear super energized but the reality is they area over tired and you are screwing up their sleep schedule. 

Take the TV (etc) away.  Break your bad habits, and do not let them come out of that room.  No Excuses.  Do not use supplements (like melatonin from the drug store. 

Yes you might be camped outside their room for the next 6 months. It will be worth every penny