The Kool-Aid gods must hate me. :(

Or, how to get pink variegated yarn without trying.

I have been playing with Kool-aid over break, trying to dye myself some nice dark red. It's worked, except for the dark and the red. The first batch (1 skein Patons' Classic Merino in Aran, 2 packets Black Cherry, one packet sugar-free Cherry) turned out a salmon pink. Nice, except that I hate pink. And it's a subtly-variegated salmon pink, because a)I don't have a pot large enough, and b) I tied it too tightly. It was dyed at three AM, so maybe I have an excuse, but I suppose that it might have to turn into a Liesel for my sister. (She looks good in that color, anyway.)

The second batch (dyed in the hopes of a purple--most of one skein of the same yarn above, with 2 packets each sugarless Cherry and Grape) turned out mostly a dusty rose/washed-out wine color, lighter in some places (I used the same pot...) and with the same skein-tying issues. I have no idea what to do with it. I wouldn't wear it, and neither would anyone else I know. But knitting with it is out of the question at the moment--it's horribly tangled. I am vaguely reminded of intestines. I'm thinking of overdyeing it with black cherry or grape, but I don't know.

If I'm not intended to have either red or purple yarn, would the Kool-aid gods kindly tell me?
I'm going to buy several packets of black cherry tomorrow. Hopefully it'll go better next time...