Big Box of Knitting Fails – Colorfast FAIL :(

For those of you that have taken classes with me, you know all about “Patty’s Big Box of Knitting Fails”. I seem to have an example of something tragic I’ve done in my knitting for nearly everything I’m teaching. So, I’m launching a new blog series to dig into my knitting boo boos. Today’s episode . . .

How to Tell if Yarn is Colorfast

(hint: don’t do what I did, or do it better)

Several years ago I wanted to make a Faux Isle Tam. That’s when you create Fair Isle with one solid yarn and one color changing yarn.

I had a wonderful hand dyed yarn with blues, purples and reds. It was going to be lovely.

Well, I knew that I needed to test the yarn before wet blocking in case it was not colorfast . . . after all, I teach blocking (gulp). So, I clipped a bit of the yarn, got it soaking wet and tied it around a white rag. After the yarn was dry, I untied it and yipee, no color run.

So . . . I knit the tam, wet blocked it and (wa, wahaaaa . . .) all the red parts of the yarn RANNNNNN. Note the white yarn around the red is now, well, pink.

Yep, that’s right folks, if you are going to check a color changing yarn for colorfastness, make sure you check EVERY color, especially the reds.

To learn more dos and don’ts in blocking watch Blocking Techniques in Knitting

Learn about the Secrets of Yarn Substitution.