I finally worked my way into a friend’s house with a microwave to dye some playsilks with Kool-Aid. Aren’t they beautiful?! I just want to eat them up.
I mentioned wanting to do this Kool-Aid dyeing in my post about dressing up and playing pretend. It’s one that I found on Kristen*Can, with the original tutorial here.
Rachel and I split my order of 12 undyed Habotai 30″ silk scarves from Dharma Trading Co. I bought about 20 packets of Kool-Aid and felt a little funny taking them up to the register. Kool-Aid was not a part of my childhood. We frequented the “health nut” coop before it was remotely popular and ate things like carob chips and home-ground flour. I always wanted to be “normal,” but alas, it turns out that buying Kool-Aid does not a normal person make you.
We thought we’d dye two scarves at a time in each color, but it turned out that there was just room for one at a time. And the color from the Kool-Aid was gone from the water after one silk was dyed so we couldn’t reuse it. I had to make another run to the grocery store and repeat my Kool-Aid buying experience.
Here’s the gist of the project: First soak all undyed silks in hot water with a dash of vinegar (we used distilled white vinegar) for half an hour. Then for each silk, mix 2 cups water, 1/2 cup vinegar, and 3 packets of Kool-Aid in a glass bowl–the kids helped with this part. Add playsilk, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave for three minutes. You’re supposed to let it sit for three minutes, stir, then repeat the microwaving and sitting three times total for each silk. Others had commented on how dark the silks get and I wanted to try for a lighter playsilk, so I just did the whole process once for my silks. Rachel wanted to try two rounds of microwaving for hers, although I don’t think the color was appreciably different.
After the microwaving process, the silks are supposed to be hung to dry. Then washed in cold water (I put them in the sink with dish soap one at a time–the red bled a little bit) and dried again. For the second drying, I put them in the dryer with a couple of towels for a very short short, cool cycle. The tutorial calls for ironing them, which I haven’t done yet. I like the wrinkled look (and don’t like to iron). However, I wonder if it’s part of the color-setting process.
Here are the flavors of my playsilks from left to right (if I remember correctly): lemonade, orange, pink lemonade, cherry, lemon-lime, and grape. We tried for a blue playsilk with a blue Kool-Aid packet of tropical punch but ended up with another red. And black cherry looked like it might be purple but turned out to be a dark red with a purple tinge. (I owe Rachel a trade for one of her three reds)
Melissa A said
We made playsilks before Christmas, and it is lots of fun. We boiled ours on the stove, so it was a slightly different method. I also felt strange buying so much kool-aid. Although I grew up drinking kool-aid, I do not let O drink it!
molly said
I was just thinking about a project like this but wasn’t sure where to get the scarves. What fun! Thanks.
Rachel said
i second that they are very beautiful! for those of you considering making these, make sure you map out a good chunk of time! it was helpful to have 2 mommies present so one of us could be on child duty and one with the scarves. they were fun to make and the kids loved the bright colors in the bowls.
so far, my boys and i have hid under them, spread them out, and made them small. i anticipate some forts, hiding them, peek-a-boo games, toting them around in our newly borrowed wagon
, and much more. i’ll keep you posted!
Kristen said
Oh these are great! I have plans to kool-aid dye some yarn this summer with my kids. Maybe we will do scarves too.
Kim said
We did Kool-Aid yarn dyeing last year. We also dyed cheap silk that I bought by the yard and then cut up on the bias. Makes nice hair ribbons for girls!
melissa s. said
beautiful colors! can’t wait to try this!
Playsilks « Daisyeyes said
[...] Both of mine love to dress up and even the baby is getting into the act of pretend play. The Artful Parent posted a how-to about dyeing your own playsilks. Apparently you can buy them very cheaply and then use Kool-Aid to dye them. Check it out, [...]
Sara said
What a great idea! Thanks for the info. I didn’t drink Kool Aid either. It was off limits in our household. Until now I didn’t think anyone else knew what carob chips were.
-Sara
Montessori Mama said
SO funny you mention carob chips I remember (fondly) the first time I ate chocolate, or what I have from then to now referred to as “REAL chocolate”! Carob being from then on known only as (obviously) “FAKE chocolate”
(sorry carob fans)
My mom was a nurse and “REAL chocolate” was reserved for birthdays.
About the scarves…
THANK YOU for posting both the process and where to purchase them! I can’t wait to do this for my toddler class this fall.
In PEACE
Jennifer
The Artful Parent said
Ha! Yes to the carob chips vs real chocolate. Thank goodness for real chocolate!
MamaBird said
Love this idea! And they turned out so beautifully- xo a carob lover
Susan said
Can I just tell you that this blog is totally awesome?!? You are doing an amazing job with it. Thanks for taking the time to share all these wonderful ideas!
threesneakybugs said
Nice job! I’ve been wanting to do this ever since you mentioned it the first time. Thanks for the link on where to buy some scarves. Looks like a good resource.
Jody said
This is on my to-do list. I’ve been waiting for the weather to warm up so we can make them outdoors. Seeing yours make me want to make them sooner. They look beautiful.
jo ebisujima said
This looks like a great idea but I have no idea what kool-aid is! In my head I think it is some kind of powder you mix with water to make a drink but I have never seen the real stuff, I don’t suppose anyone knows if there is a japanese equivalent?
The Artful Parent said
You’re right about what it is. I wonder if you could order it? Although, if you look at the original tutorial that I mention, they list another way to dye playsilks. You could look into the non-Kool-Aid version. Jean
My to do list « This Place said
[...] Dye Play Silks with Kool-Aid this one would be great to do with my sisters next time we get together [...]
mjm said
why kool aid?
The Artful Parent said
I suppose any dye might work, even cabbages and turmeric, especially if you add the vinegar to help set it. Kool-Aid comes in a variety of bright, fun colors. Maybe that’s why. Anyone else know?
tif said
beautiful silks jean! we’ve been camping for 10 days and I’ve missed your blog.
I dyed silks a few years ago – we still use them almost daily. We made a really pretty blue with kool-aid – and I can’t remember which flavor. It may have been a blue raspberry? It turned a light icy blue.
The Artful Parent said
I wish we had picked out a blue kool-aid color! Maybe next time…
molly said
We’ve been working on dying some playsilks this morning and my 2 year old is having a ball. I must say though, the smell of the Kool Aid/cling wrap is almost making me sick — anyone else feel this way? I was looking around for something less pungent and found this site with an extensive list of natural dyes: http://www.pioneerthinking.com/naturaldyes.html. We might give it a try next time. And, we would also like to make a blue — it is my girl’s favorite color and we couldn’t find anything that would make a blue in the Kool Aid aisle!
caly said
where can i get the silks? for some reason the link you posted isn’t working for the white silks.
TIA! I so want to do this project
The Artful Parent said
Hmm. I just tried a few different ways to get to their site, but can’t so think that maybe it’s just their site which isn’t working right now. It’s the Dharma Trading Company and their website is http://www.dharmatrading.com. I bought the 8mm white playsilks that are 30″ square. They were about $2.50 each I think.
Play Silks « Three Sneaky Bugs said
[...] remember where I saw it first but I basically followed this how-to, while incorporating from what a couple others had done. And I’m happy to report I even found the elusive blue color! Here’s [...]
Dyed silks | mommaTy said
[...] ago at my parents’. I’ve been wanting to do this since I saw them here (and then more here). My mom ordered the silks (some 30″, some 12″) and then I purchased the million [...]
Muses of Megret » Monday’s List o’ Links said
[...] – We have yet to buy playsilks for the kids — I want to, I just always forget. The Artful Parent shows an easy way to dye them with Kool-Aid. [...]
Having Fun at Home said
Love these scarves- and what a fun way to use kool-aid ! This post would be a perfect one to link up to “Twice the Fun Tuesday” at my site havingfunathomeblog.blogspot.com.
Twice the Fun is a weekly mr. linky about creative repurposing that will start next Tuesday (Oct 14.) It would be great to see your post there!
Homeschool Week 5 | A Simple Kind of Life said
[...] helped me create a Nature Table We had lunch and the kids played. I also took the time at home to die some playsilks. They really turned out well! I’m happy with the results and they make a [...]
By Hand. « www.lusaorganics.com said
[...] baby bedding. You can purchase blanks from Dharma Trading Company and dye them yourself, even with Kool Aid if you are up for surprise [...]
Easter Eggs and Playsilks « Cygnet Small said
[...] dye to color a couple of white playsilks that we had not dyed the last time when we tried the Kool Aid method. I mixed the colors together so there was enough (blue + purple, red + orange, and green + [...]
Balancing Everything » A blustery day said
[...] we dyed some playsilks with Kool-Aid using this method. With all of the construction going on in the house, I didn’t have any place to air dry them, [...]