# Dyeing-Breaking violet



## ptober (Mar 24, 2011)

A few years ago I experimented with breaking violet (Wilson"s food coloring gel).

Liked the results and knitted my first lace shawl- picture 1

Left it over the seat in the car one time and the sun hit it so the result is in picture 2.

Soo If you do this just be aware that the color will change if the item or yarn is left out in the sun!!!

Now the question is: Due I leave it as it is or try to put it in the sun to completely change the color???


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## Caesarteaser (Sep 15, 2012)

If it was mine, I would experiment with the sun to try for a more uniform color. The original color was gorgeous but the blue is interesting too.


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## ToastyTea (Jan 23, 2016)

Or you could try re-dying it.


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## crivitz (Apr 12, 2015)

I agree with Caesarteaser. I don't know how re-dyeing it would come out.


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## desireeross (Jun 2, 2013)

Yes sadly food colouring does that. When I first started dyeing yarn I used Wiltons and koolaid. I knitted a ten stitch blanket in lovely dark colours. Two years down and it's a washed out sorry sight


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## ptober (Mar 24, 2011)

desireeross said:


> Yes sadly food colouring does that. When I first started dyeing yarn I used Wiltons and koolaid. I knitted a ten stitch blanket in lovely dark colours. Two years down and it's a washed out sorry sight


I also started that way but now want colors that will last so have switched to acid dyes. It was fun to break violet-but like you stated the colors do not hold up.


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## Chocolatechips (Jan 6, 2012)

So sorry the original color didn't hold up in the sun, but the bluish color is wearable IMHO.


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## Lolly12 (Oct 10, 2012)

Does using some vinegar in the dye bath help at all? ♥


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## desireeross (Jun 2, 2013)

ptober said:


> I also started that way but now want colors that will last so have switched to acid dyes. It was fun to break violet-but like you stated the colors do not hold up.


Once I started selling I couldn't use food colouring anymore. The effects I got with Wiltons were amazing


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## desireeross (Jun 2, 2013)

Lolly12 said:


> Does using some vinegar in the dye bath help at all? ♥


All vinegar does is fix the dye. It won't stop bleaching


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## Lolly12 (Oct 10, 2012)

Did not know that.Thank you ♥


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## IndigoSpinner (Jul 9, 2011)

Personally, I love the color just the way the sun left it!

I like the variegated look and would not have thought to leave it in the sun to achieve that effect, but it's beautiful!

Dump the idea that it has to be an even color, and look at it as if someone else had made it. Would you be entranced by the almost tie-dyed effect?


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## Lillyhooch (Sep 27, 2012)

Is that the Viorica shawl? Lovely pattern but it took me ages to knit it. Like IndigoSpinner, I too like the variegated effect from the sun. However being aware of the concentrated knitting in your shawl I can understand being disappointed to find the colour is not permanent.


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## eneira12 (Dec 18, 2013)

Thank you for this. I love the violet color (with a touch of blue) and also the blue that some of it faded into. I think I'll have to look at this dye. The pattern is lovely as well. What is it called, please?


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## sockyarn (Jan 26, 2011)

I like it the way it is.


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## lovey (Nov 11, 2011)

Either re dye or put the whole thing out in the sun!


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## ptober (Mar 24, 2011)

It is cake icing dye made by Wilson's in the violet color. If you want to try breaking violet I would suggest searching for the technique on the Internet. There are many directions on how to due this out there.

Good luck.


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## spinninggill (Apr 9, 2011)

Personally I love the variegated effect. Food colouring tends to be more fugitive than acid dyes,but all colours fade with strong light and laundering. One of the worst is turmeric, which is substantive, but fades at an alarming rate - from vivid yellow to pale lemon in 48 hours of ordinary (UK!) daylight.


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## Lillyhooch (Sep 27, 2012)

spinninggill said:


> Personally I love the variegated effect. Food colouring tends to be more fugitive than acid dyes,but all colours fade with strong light and laundering. One of the worst is turmeric, which is substantive, but fades at an alarming rate - from vivid yellow to pale lemon in 48 hours of ordinary (UK!) daylight.


When I realised what a short time turmeric held is colour I did some research to find out how those wonderful orange robes of Tibetan tradition stayed that way...easy answer they are dyed again and again over the life of the robe.


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## mama879 (Jan 27, 2011)

So I'm going to chime in I like the color change it would look amazing with a chambray shirt and a pr of jeans. I would leave it the way it is.


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## Cdambro (Dec 30, 2013)

I like it as it is, also. Very pretty.


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## IndigoSpinner (Jul 9, 2011)

And you're going to get lots of knitters asking you, "How did you _DO_ that? if you wear it that way.

This is another, really nice, "design feature."


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## mama879 (Jan 27, 2011)

Lol


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## ptober (Mar 24, 2011)

IndigoSpinner said:


> And you're going to get lots of knitters asking you, "How did you _DO_ that? if you wear it that way.
> 
> This is another, really nice, "design feature."


I like the idea of "design feature"!!! Tks to all for your opinion. Based on the feed back I am going to leave it the way it is and if it changes more in the future I will think of it as a new shawl!.


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## Reba1 (Feb 5, 2012)

I love it the way it is! 

As a cake decorator, i dread doing purples (my favorite color, too) as most of them fade terribly. We have to caution customers to keep the cake out of not only sunlight, but some bright room lights, too. Some brands are better than others, but Wilton can fade to gray (in icing).


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## ptober (Mar 24, 2011)

Reba1 said:


> I love it the way it is!
> 
> As a cake decorator, i dread doing purples (my favorite color, too) as most of them fade terribly. We have to caution customers to keep the cake out of not only sunlight, but some bright room lights, too. Some brands are better than others, but Wilton can fade to gray (in icing).


I find that interesting. For my self I would continue to play with breaking the wilson colors but for selling I will stick to the acid dyes as I would not like anyone to be disappointed if their yarn color faded.


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