Today was a day I have been looking forward to for a couple weeks now!  I went to a workshop called “Field Trip to the Farm” put on by the Red Barn Yarn Farm in St Joseph, MO.  We learned a new to us method to dye yarn and best of all, got to meet the alpacas!

We learned to “paint” yarn using acid dyes.  It’s pretty easy and you get come really cool effects with the yarn.  We spread out sheets of plastic wrap and placed our vinager water soaked yarn hanks on it.  Then we used acid dyes in squirt bottles to put the dye on our yarn and rubbed it in.  After applying the color we wanted, we wrapped it up in the plastic wrap and microwaved it for a few minutes to set the dye.  Once our bundles cooled down, we unwrapped and rinsed our little gems.  It was fun to see what color combinations every one came up with.

The fruits of my dyeing labor today.

I can’t wait to get some more dyes and try this at home!  We will have so much more control than doing it in the crockpot.

Now for some pictures from the day.  It was a warm day but there was shade and a nice breeze and plenty of water to be had.  I would go back in a heartbeat!

Winding the yarn into hanks to soak and dye.

Yarn painting in action.

Laura dyeing yarn

We each had our own bowl for our yarn to cool down in. Mine is the orange one 🙂

The girls.

A few of the boys.

One of the sassier girls. Rumor has it she will spit on you if you make her mad. Luckily we didn’t experience it.

Angus and I cheesing it up for the camera.

One of the girls, just eating some hay.

Angus. He had the greatest eye lashes.

Thanks to Jenny at the crew at Red Barn Yarn Farm!  It was a great experience and I learned a lot!  We can’t wait to come up and check out the store!

Obligatory selfie with Angus and Laura!