For all of these projects, you will need the EZ Dye yarn.

It comes in a 1# cone or in a small pull skein, 1/2 ounce/130 yards.

The yarn is 10/2 cotton and one skein will make approximately 11 yards or 15 necklaces.

Pull skein $6.99

• EZ Dye yarn; I recommend the 10/2
• I-cord knitter; manual spool knitter
  or Bond America EmbellishKnit
• Natural dyestuffs such as flowers, onion skins, beet juice, walnut hulls. Or food coloring, or KoolAid
• Hot water
• An old towel
• Gloves
• Some beads & buttons for embellishment

Following the instructions for the I-cord knitter, make a 24" length of I-cord.
Tie a knot close to each end to keep it from ravelling.
Put some very hot tap water in a bowl and soak until it sinks to the bottom of the bowl. Remove and squeeze out excess water, but don't dry it until after it's dyed.
If you are using flowers or onion skins, boil them until there is color in the water.
Dip the wet I-cord in the dye bath for 5 to 10 minutes.
Remove with a stick and rinse in cool, clear water

If you are using liquid food coloring, zigzag your piece in a small microwavable tray so that the strands are touching. Drop one drop of food coloring on the I-cord and with your gloves on, press the spot to move the color around on the yarn. Do this again with other colors, cleaning your glove between colors.
Cover with plastic wrap or a lid and microwave for 20 seconds.
Remove, allow to cool, and rinse.

If you are using KoolAid or something like it, mix it in hot tap water.
Dunk the wet I-cord in and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
Remove and rinse.

Squeeze the water out, then blot it dry in an old towel.
Dry it in the shade, then embellish it and tie the ends together for a necklace.

Wear it with pride!

• EZ Dye yarn, either 10/2 or 20/2 (finer)
• Embroidery hoop
• Needle, scissors, fabric
• Dyes
• Small dishes for food coloring
• Foam applicator, one for each color
• Hot water
• Gloves
• Old towels

If you are using natural dyes, dye the yarns before stitching because some natural dyes will stain the embroidery cloth.

If you are using food coloring, it will wash out of regular cotton cloth, so you can stitch first if you want to. Put one drop in a small dish and add a Tablespoon or less of water. For powdered drink mix, put about 1/8 teaspoon of powder in a Tablespoon of hot water.
Wash your piece in hot soapy water, rinse, and squeeze the water out.
Spread the embroidery out on an old towel. Using an applicator, dip it in the dye and sponge it onto the embroidery.

When you are finished, wrap the cloth in plastic and microwave for 20 seconds. Allow it to cool before opening, then rinse, dry, and enjoy!

Dye safety:

Whether you use things that are edible or not, set aside a dye area away from the food kitchen. Dyes and fibers should not share space with food.
Dedicate pots, bowls, and utensils to the dye kitchen. Dye kitchen and food kitchen should be two stand-alone units.
Good ventilation is important when heating dyestuffs.
Use gloves.
I don't recommend using fine powders when working with children.

Natural Dyes:

As a general rule, I don't like to use food as a dye. However, waste products from food preparation can be used as dye. Onion skins, the tops, peels, and roots of beets, the outer leaves of red cabbage, and the leafy green carrot tops are all good examples.

If you do canning,you can store excess dye liquid by canning it. Freezing is also a possibility, but you don't need an extra freezer for your dye studio if you can it instead. Most fresh flowers, leaves, berries, and thinly sliced vegetable pieces can be dried for future use.

Most natural dyes from red and blue flowers and berries will remain in the fiber during washing, but will fade in the sun. Not all colored flowers give dye, and of those that do, the dye color may be different than the flower color.

When harvesting dyestuffs, know your flora. You don't want to be boiling something poisonous.

Philosophy...

This yarn was developed for use with synthetic dyes, but it works for most natural dyes. I see it as an easy way to get kids exploring nature and wondering about how things work. I also want to see kids working with cotton!
I'm not a proponent of either food coloring or "instant" anything, but I see the EZ Dye as a stepping stone to more serious work as the child (or the parent!) matures. The study of ethnobotany and chemistry will shed light on the historical uses of plants and how and why dyes and fibers combine the way they do.