I had heard about using Kool Aid as dye--the colors come out very nicely!

They do. And not only is dying with Kool Aid fun, it costs less than "real" dye.

How much yarn does one pack of Kool Aid dye?

I'll bet it is fun! Does it smell all fruity ever after, then?

Now I recall seeing some skeins of beautifully colored yarns that were dyed w/Kool Aid that just blew me away.

About the only yarn-y things I can make are crocheted afghans...but done in those colors, that might be fun! And if I used wool yarn, ooh--toasty!! ETA: do some types of yarn take the dye better than others?

Edited at 2012-02-29 08:36 pm (UTC)

Had to look through my notes to figure out how much Kool Aid I used. I used between four and eight packages of Kool Aid per skein of yarn. I dyed six skeins, each individually and with different combination of flavors. All six skeins were Bare Swish Bulky Yarn from knitpicks.com --
http://www.knitpicks.com/cfyarns/yarn_display.cfm?ID=5420177

Content: 100% Superwash Merino Wool
Weight: Bulky Weight
Knitting Gauge: 3 - 3.75 sts = 1" on #10 - 11 needles (6.0mm-8.0mm)
Amount: 137 yards/100 gram hank
Care: Machine Washable/Tumble Dry Low

The softest washable Merino we have ever knitted, which makes it the perfect yarn for babies or college coeds (and really, everyone else too). The bulky weight means projects will knit up super fast - great for last-minute gifts.

The yarn is delightfully soft, picked up the dye very well, and was a joy to work with. Even untangling it was fun (I let it loose in the crock pot and then swished it around some to rinse after dying. I let it air dry for a couple of days before untangling and balling it).

It didn't smell very Kool Aid-y to me, but then my nose doesn't work well. The husband tells me we drove by a freshly killed skunk this evening and I didn't smell a thing. (I'd noticed his reaction and asked what was up.)

I ran both of the finished hats through the washing machine with a load of clothes, so I'm pretty sure they only smell of our normal detergent and fabric softener. Washing did not seem to diminish the color very much. The many colored hat may be a bit lighter than it was going into the wash but I'm not 100% sure.

An afghan made with the Swish bulky would go fast and be very soft and warm. I encourage you to confirm our speculation.