Butt Sweater questions

[cajunrose]

I read through a lot of pages on butt sweaters but I still have questions.
I have a wool/angora/nylon (10%) natural colored sweater I want to make into a butt sweater.
Here are my questions:
1. Can it be kool-aid dyed?
2. Can I make this into a butt sweater with just a sewing machine (no serger)?
3. What type of stitch(s) do I use?
4. It is a short sleeved sweater. Can I make them into shorts?
5. Can a sewing novice do this?

Thanks so much. I am excited to try this!

[CraftyMommaOf2]

1. no *nylon will not dye with koolaid*
2. yup, don't need a serger
3. I used zigzag stitch
4. depends on how big it is and how long you want the shorts to be...if you have some of the body of the sweater left over you could use that for the legs
5. yup...super simple. just remember to pin the legs to help you with the turning

[Kari_mom]

Actually, you can dye nylon with Kool aid, I've done it. Nylon is the odd man out, and will sometimes dye with acid dyes if it isn't coated with anything. Even so, since your sweater is a blend of three fibers, you may end up with a beautiful heathered effect that you might really like. Why not make the butt sweater first, then use the leftover scraps to test dye and see what you like and how it works?

[CraftyMommaOf2]

Oh, that's cool that it worked on nylon! I've been told that it doesn't at all, only on protein fibers. Did it bleed alot? And did it absorb much color?

[Kari_mom]

I know, I know, I almost hated to add this twist to the oft repeated rule, since it seems like there is a post a day telling people that Koolaid works only on animal fibers.

I used it on a nylon diaper cover, it was pastel and colorfast. I thought to try it after I read in the Dharma catalogue that their acid dyes work on nylon. I think I read about it on a dyeing website somewhere too.

It makes sense really, Koolaid stains are notoriously difficult to remove from carpet. Carpets are usually nylon, and the Koolaid is dyeing the carpet, not just staining. I feel justified banning Koolaid as a drink from my house from both a chemical and nutritional standpoint. :LOL

[cajunrose]

Thank you somuch for the replies! I will give it a try as soon as I borrow a sewing machine!