Hey everyone! Today’s book review is on Hand Dyeing Yarn and Fleece by Gail Callahan. I requested to purchase this book for our library collection, so when it came in, I was excited to start reading it. I thought it would be an interesting read as one of my crafty goals for this year is to learn more about dyeing yarn and getting better at this process. While I still consider myself a newbie, I felt like this book could be a great resource.
Hand Dyeing Yarn and Fleece is filled with a TON of information. At the beginning of the book, there is a list of the different supplies you will need to begin. Some items include dye, dyeable yarn, tongs, and glass jars. There is also a small section mentioning safety when dyeing yarn, which is extremely useful. When dealing with some dyes, such as acid dyes, you want to make sure you take some extra precaution in order to not breathe the dye particles in. Don’t let this scare you because you can protect yourself by wearing a face mask and gloves.
This book also talks about different dye methods such as immersion, jar, steam, and microwave. I personally have tried out the immersion and steam methods with acid dye. When using acid dyes, you want to make sure you do not use the same bowls and utensils that you would normally use every day. You want to keep these items separate as to not contaminate them. I found an almost brand-new crockpot at a goodwill store for under $10. Almost all of my other supplies and materials came from my local dollar store.
You can read about the different dyeable fibers and what to expect when they’re dyed up. In order to prepare for dyeing yarn, you must pre-soak the yarn in order for the dye to stick. Callahan gives a detailed description of this. She also mentions the different dyes you can use to dye your yarn. Some of these include acid dye, food coloring, Kool-Aid or other drink mixes, and sugarless Easter egg dyes. If you have never dyed yarn before, I recommend going the cheaper route to see if you like it or not.
I ended up getting some dyeable yarn on sale at Hobby Lobby and used Kool-Aid to dye it with. You can check out my Yarn Dye Experience here. That way if you end up not liking the process, you don’t have to worry about wasting a ton of money on this. Included in this book is a nice color chart.
I also like that Hand Dyeing Yarn and Fleece is spiral bound. I found this type of spine very useful, especially when referring back to it so often. It’s a lot easier than having to hold open the page and work at the same time. However, I did notice that some of the pages stuck together a little, so be aware of that when turning the pages as you don’t want to rip them. I enjoyed the step-by-step photos of each of the different processes from beginning to end. These are very detailed and clear to see what each step included. At the back of the book are a few patterns to give you an idea of what your finished creations would look like.
I enjoyed reading Hand Dyeing Yarn and Fleece because it was very insightful and had some good tips that I wasn’t aware of before reading this book. I also liked learning about the different dye methods and am excited to see which method is best for me. Gail does a wonderful job with this book’s presentation as everything is well-organized in each chapter. The photos were a great addition as it allows readers to see what each method looks like as well as the results using different yarn fibers. I found this book to be a great resource and I cannot wait to start yarn dyeing. I believe this book would help anyone that is looking to learn more about yarn dyeing. Overall, I would recommend checking this book out and becoming inspired.
Have you ever read Hand Dyeing Yarn and Fleece? Let me know in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you!
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