I am testing the "Some" dye from Olympus for sashiko threads

During our anniversary in early May, you were able to see our new dyeing kits for sashiko threads.

When I saw it was possible to dye your own sashiko threads, I couldn’t resist offering it to you and testing it myself!

I chose the "big" starter kit containing 15 colors to have fun dyeing the threads for my next project!

So, here we go!

Let’s dive into dyeing sashiko threads!

The Olympus brand

First, let’s talk a bit about Olympus, one of my favorite brands for sashiko and one of the best known in Japan for embroidery. Olympus is a manufacturer of embroidery threads, knitting yarns, and creative hobby kits.

This company started by producing sewing thread in Nagoya and celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2008!

Since their founding in 1908, Olympus has always focused on quality, ensuring careful production (as expected in Japan). From selecting and sourcing raw materials to manufacturing, every step is done in-house guaranteeing quality products throughout the entire production chain. While Olympus is an "old" company, it always strives to keep up with the evolving needs of its customers and to constantly evolve and innovate! That’s why Olympus develops unique new products but also continues to produce its flagship products that have been highly praised for over 60 years!

Today, Olympus has expanded in Japan with its production factories in Inuyama and its headquarters in Tokyo, and is distributed worldwide!

What, for me, makes Olympus such a successful company is their constant effort to satisfy customers both old and new. In fact, their new logo emphasizes: the fun and joy of creating with your own hands combined with the freedom to create any shapes and arts you want in do it yourself!

I tend to agree with that, don’t you?

And what about sashiko at Olympus?

Since 1929, Olympus has been producing embroidery cotton.

Since 1979, Olympus has been producing cotton for embroidery in sashiko technique, that's almost 50 years!

Since 2020, the yarn range keeps growing with finer yarns but also kits, hanafukin...

Since 2024, Olympus offers us the chance to dye our own yarns with a dye very easy to use at home.

No need for a dye vat... everything goes smoothly!

Let me explain!

Olympus Some Dye Range

Olympus's SoMe dye was created so you can unleash your imagination and create custom dyes for your projects.

Sometimes we look for particular color mixes for a personal project or boro for repair. Some dye allows us to create the right color variation.

It's also a fun activity to do alone, with your cat, or with family!

Method - Steps

1. Preparations
Open the packaging and take some mild soap, plastic wrap, a measuring container, and optionally gloves

2. Dye preparations
Unscrew the caps of the pens provided in the printed.
Pour a solution of 50% dye and 50% water for very dense and vibrant colors; 30% if you prefer more pastel shades.
Screw the cap back on and stir to mix the two liquids.

3. Yarn preparations
Open the bag of yarn to dye.
Wet them thoroughly, the fiber must be completely wet.
Twist slightly to remove excess water
Place the yarn fully spread out on the plastic wrap to avoid dirtying your table

4. Color
Prime the pen by gently pressing on the tip, the ink will flow
Dye the selected yarn parts with the solution
The yarn must be completely saturated with dye, make sure to color all the yarn
Wrap the yarn once you have dyed the whole in plastic wrap and let it rest for 20 minutes

5. Rinse
Rinse the thread thoroughly
Apply a mild soap and rinse again
Twist slightly

6. Fix
Use the fixing solution provided in the kit: 120ml of water and 3ml of fixer
Completely soak your thread in the solution
Let rest for 1 hour

7. Finishing
Wash your thread
Twist slightly
Let it air dry

My experience

I chose the largest kit with 15 colors because I wanted to treat myself and sashiko is an activity I do a lot.

There are smaller starter kits with the 3 primary colors that allow you to create many variations.

For my part, I have a denim jacket customization project and I wanted colors in red and orange tones. So I selected these colors from my palette for the shade of a first thread. Since I wanted to make another and I really like yellow-blue green mixes... I also started a creation of that type.

I followed the instructions above and honestly, it’s super simple! No need to complicate things, it’s really just like in the video... no unpleasant surprises along the way to report.

I diluted 5ml of dye in 5ml of water and that’s enough to dye a full skein.

I really enjoyed the whole process and it's truly hypnotic to see the colors appear and blend!

I'm watching my threads dry with pride... now I have to get to work!