In this class with Hannah Ginn of Circus Tonic Handmade you will be introduced to hand dyeing knitting yarn with speckles and splashes of colour use both vibrant and subtle minimalist techniques.

Teacher: Hannah Ginn

Workshop Duration: Full Day

Description: The class will begin with a fabulous yarn appreciation session talking about dyers, different yarn bases, colours, themes and inspiration and there will be lots of examples of skeins and knitted samples to squish. A large section will focus on the art of matching hand dyed yarns to modern knitting patterns and how to achieve successful finished objects.

We will then focus on inspiration and aesthetics, which ties in to the knitted garment and how designers are using speckled hand dyed yarns for accessories and garments.

The class will then cover safety, personal protective equipment (PPE), a little chemistry and theory. We will cover different dyes on the market, skein management and handling and finally the actual dye pot techniques. We will aim for a speckled and mutlicoloured skeins to suit the taste of the student. We will also cover hand painted and the layering effect of many techniques to achieve the gorgeous skeins so popular at the moment. The class will cover the process and after care of the skeins; soaking, drying, skeining, storage and environmental care.

Materials to bring: This a materials heavy class so there will be a materials cost of $50. You will be provided with:
Bare yarn mini skein pack
Dyes
Nitrile gloves
Dust masks
Safety glasses
Wire loops
Notebook and pencil
Swatch card
Disposable cups
Speckling Spoon
Dropper

Each student will need to bring:
A light coloured or undyed skein from their stash.
Cotton liners for under gloves (these can be bought at the chemist)
A coloured picture or sketch for inspiration
Closed shoes, preferably not trainers with mesh tops
Hair bands for long hair

Takeaway: Each student will have learned how to manage skeins, match hand dyed yarn to patterns, which bases to start with at home, how to dye speckled and hand painted yarn, how to use professional acid dyes correctly, and will come away with several miniskeins of yarn they’ve dyed themselves. A swatch card may be made with their and their fellow students yarn if they would like to swap experiences and recipes.

Level: Beginner-Advanced Beginner

Prerequisites: None

Homework: The students are to bring the materials requested. They may also bring their favourite hand dyed yarn if they may be interested to reverse engineer it!