Days to Dye for - a Natural Dyes Project

 (Originally posted February 1, 2006)

To give you an idea of how my assignment for the Natural Dyes project went, I have documented my Days to Dye For. You may find it of interest.

Who says you can't get vibrant colour with natural dyes?

 The two books I used for references were Indigo, Madder and Marigold by Trudie Van Stralen and Wild Colour by Jenny Dean.

PART ONE:  General Preparation of fibres for dye baths:
Washing temperatures:

•  Ensure fibre is clean and free of grease, dirt, natural oils and chemical residues.
•  Wet fibre thoroughly before mordanting or dyeing. It is a good idea to soak the fibres overnight in clear   water – they should be submerged and able to move freely.
•  Washing temperature – avoid sudden temperature changes. Never pour hot water straight from the tap or kettle. Introduce fibres to a tepid dye bath, and increase to simmer. Then reduce heat and return to room temperature.
•  Silk is processed at a slightly lower temperature than wool. Cotton fibres are more resilient.

Washing Fibres:

•  Squeeze gently. Do not rub or handle roughly.
•  Use dishwashing liquid or a scouring agent such as Orvus paste. A scouring paste is pH neutral.
•  For this project, Palmolive Dish Wash (DW) Soap was used to wash all samples.


The Mordants:

Alum and Iron Mordant

L to R:  / no mordant / alum only / alum and iron / iron only

 
Mordants: Fixing the dye colour to fibres

•  Aluminum, copper and iron are most common. Chrome and tin are less safe to handle.
•  Not all plant dyes require a mordant, but mordants often produce stronger colours
•  Mordants also affect the colours achieved.
•  Mordanting should be done before the dye process is carried out. This is called pre-mordanting
•  Mordanted fibres can be dried, labeled and stored indefinitely before use.
•  Fibres do not need to be remordanted if a second colour is being added. If one dye requires mordanting and the other doesn’t, you will need to mordant ahead.

Alum Mordant:

•  Most useful of mordants
•  Can be used on all fibres
•  It is not a poison, but it is an irritant – do not ingest
•  3 types of alum include:

• Aluminum sulfate - sold by garden stores as soil acidfier - contains brown specs which are iron particles - do not use.
• Aluminum potassium sulfate or potash alum (most commonly used as a mordant).
• Aluminum ammonium sulfate sold as alum in pharmacies - can be used if potash alum is not available - but not as concentrated.

Copper Mordant:
•    Can be used on all fibres.
•    Usually improves fastness of dyestuff
•    Can be bought as copper sulfate / blue vitriol.
•    Poison - handle with care
•    You can make your own copper liquor (see pg 42 Wild Color by Jenny Dean)

Iron Mordant:

•  Usually used more as a modifier than a mordant. Iron saddens / subdues dye colours.
•  Increases wash and light fastness
•  Used in small quantities, because it can weaken fibres
•  Can be purchased as iron sulfate / green vitriol
•  Harmful if ingested handle with care
•  You can make your own iron liquor (see Wild Color – pg 42).

Calculating quantities of mordants:

•  Weigh textile fibre to be mordanted. Record.
•  Wet the weighed fibre as described previously
•  Mordant solutions can be made ahead of time and stored indefinitely.
•  Dissolve mordant crystals in boiling water

Use 1 gm of crystals to 10 ml of water (0.04 oz crystals to 2 tsp water)
For example:
           10 gm crystals to 100 ml water or 100 gm crystals to 1000 ml (1 litre) water

Mordanting with Alum:

•  When using alum as a mordant for animal fibres, use cream of tartar to increase the amount of alum absorbed by the animal fibres

•  RECIPE: 8% alum (8 gm or 1 ¾ tsp) per 4 oz (100g) of fibre / 7% cream of tartar (7 gm or1 ½ tsp) per 4 oz (100g) fibre

•  Use at least 18 litres of water per 500 gm fibre.
•  Fill stainless steel pot with cool water.
•  Dissolve tartar in boiling water, and then add to cool water in mordant pot. Dissolve alum in boiling water and ad to mordant pot. Stir well with long handled spoon.
•  Add fibres heat slowly and bring to simmer – simmer for one hour, move around gently every once in awhile to ensure even absorption. Make sure fibre stays beneath the surface. – If needed put an old plate on top of liquid to keep fibre submerged.
•  Switch off heat and let fibres cool in solution overnight
•  Remove from mordant solution and rinse well in cool water

Mordanting with Iron:

•  Less frequently used as a pre-mordant
•  More commonly used as an after-mordant

•  RECIPE: 2% (2 gm or ½ tsp) ferrous sulfate crystals to 100 gm (4oz)fibre

•  Follow Alum process except after adding wet fibres, let simmer approx 10 -15 minutes only
•  Gently remove fibres, and allow cooling down. Rinse thoroughly.

***Cleaning pots after iron mordanting: clean pots thoroughly, the slightest trace of iron can dull the colours of anything put in the pot later. Some prefer to keep one pot for Iron mordanting only.

PART TWO: The Natural dyes

Alkanet

Alkanet

Alkanet dyebath

Alkanet dyed skeins (notice slight variation in colours due to pre mordanting with different mordants)

•  Southern and Eastern Europe
•  Sprawling woody based perennial plant from the borage family
•  Dyestuff: Seeds are difficult to obtain, usually sold as dried chopped roots

Procedure Notes:

•  No mordant is required / Alum gives purple and lavender colours.

•  Simmer dyestuff in water for at least one hour to extract colour (has a strong unpleasant odor – ensure work area is ventilated).
•  Extracted dye is pale green brown and looks unpromising.
•  Strain off dye liquid, add fibres and simmer for at least an hour for strong colours.
•  Alkanet is sensitive to pH value and mineral content of water used.

Dye Date: November 13/ 2005
Source: Louet Sales / Shuttleworks
Quantity Used: 16 grams

Yarn / Fibre used: 100% (handspun) breed unspecified
Supplier: Local Alberta Wool Producer – Raw fleece – washed, carded and handspun.

Proportion of Dyestuff to fibre: 1:1
Dyestuff: chopped roots

Mordants used: Alum, Iron
Mordant procedure used: (See Section A)

Water: City of Calgary tap water
Lightfast: Not tested
Wash fast: Moderate colour loss with first wash with Palmolive DW soap

Judi’s Notes: Dyestuff was added to hot water, and simmered for one hour. Wet fibre added and additional one hour to simmer. VERY SMELLY! Fibre was very dark grey / blackish, but bath did not exhaust fully.

Water Sources

•  The water source used, can affect colour results.
•  Some dyes produce different colour results depending on the alkalinity / acidic nature of the solution they are being mixed with.
•  Mineral content can also affect results.
•  Modifiers are substances may be added to the dye bath to alter it’s pH.
•  Examples of a few modifiers include soda ash, ammonia, and vinegar.

For this project, City of Calgary tap water was used. The water is alkaline, and has a moderately high mineral content. (City of Calgary water test results 2004)


Annatto Seed

Annatto seeds

Annatto seed dyebath

•  Central and South America and other tropical regions
•  Aside from dyeing fibres, also used for body paint, and as a food colorant
•  Dyestuff: Seeds

Procedure Notes:

•  No mordant required
•  Gently simmer seeds in water for approximately one hour – seeds can be removed or left in the dye bath. (If left in stronger colours will result).
•  Simmers fibres in the dye bath for one hour, then remove from heat and let fibres cool overnight in dye bath.
•  Dye process can also be done without heat.
•  To obtain maximum color from seeds, add 1-2 teaspoons of washing soda to the water in which the seeds are simmering in. Strain dye liquid, cool, add fibres.
•  Soak in cooled solution until desired colour is obtained.

Dye Date: November 13 / 2005
Source: Louet Sales / Shuttleworks
Quantity Used: 8 grams

Yarn / Fibre Used: 100% (handspun) breed unspecified
Supplier: Local Alberta Wool Producer – Raw fleece – washed, carded and handspun.

Proportion of Dyestuff to Fibre: 1: 2
Dyestuff: Seeds

Mordants used: Alum, Iron
Mordant procedure used: (see Section A)

Water: City of Calgary tap water

Lightfast: Not tested
Washfast: very little dye loss when first washed with Palmolive DW soap

Judi’s Notes: Seeds were gently simmered in water for one hour. Wet fibre added, and simmered (with seeds) for an additional hour. Fibre removed from heat, and left to steep in dye pot for additional 27 hours. Small amount of dye bath colour was left. Very little dye colour lost when washed with soap.

Brazilwood

Brazilwood steeping

Brazilwood dyed skeins each with different mordant creates variety of colours

•  South America, India, East India, Malaysia
•  Gives a rich and claret colours – when applied with logwood gives brown
•  Dyestuff: Heartwood – wood chips or shavings

Procedure notes:

•  Mordant is recommended. Equal weight of dyestuff to fibre will produce strong colours for the first dye bath.
•  Sensitive to the pH value of water used for dyeing. Acidic = oranges shades, alkaline = plum colours.
•  Strong dye bath – one batch can make several dye baths
•  Pour boiling water over wood chips leave to steep overnight
•  Strain off dye liquid, reserve wood chips to make a second dye bath. Wood chips can be dried and stored for future use (lighter results? pink tones?)

Dye Date: November 20/2005
Source: Louet Sales / Shuttleworks
Quantity Used: 16 grams

Yarn / Fibre Used: 100% wool (handspun) breed unspecified
Supplier: Local Alberta Wool Producer – Raw fleece – washed, carded, and handspun.

Proportion of Dyestuff to Fibre: 1: 1

Mordants used: Alum, Iron
Mordant process used: (See Section A)

Water Source: City of Calgary tap water.

Lightfast: Not tested
Washfast:  Moderate dye colour lost with first wash using Palmolive DW soap.

Judi’s Notes: 16 grams of wood chips were put in jar. 8 cups of boiling water poured over wood chips, and solution left to steep for 1 week (7 days). Wood chips removed from dye bath. Wet fibres added to dye bath and dye bath brought to boil, and left to simmer for one hour. Remove fibres from dye bath. Cool and rinse.





Cutch:

Cutch extract

•  From India, East Indies and Southeast Asia
•  Used primarily for cotton and silk, great for wool.
•  Dyestuff: available in chunks, granules, powder

General Procedure Notes:
  
•  No mordant is required  / use ½ weight of dyestuff to fibre
•  Mix powder into paste with warm water, then stir into dye bath
•  No further preparation is required
•  Add fibre to dye bath – heat is not required
•  Copper mordant will intensify shades of brown and yellow. Also increases wash/light fastness
•  For deeper colour may need to soak in dye bath for several days, or simmer for an hour or so
•  Difficult to exhaust

Dye Date: Nov 13/05
Source:  Louet Sales / Shuttleworks
Quantity used: 8 grams

Yarn/ Fibre used: 100% wool (handspun) breed unspecified
Supplier: Local Alberta Wool Producer – Raw fleece – washed, carded and handspun.

Proportion of Dyestuff to Fibre: 1: 2

Mordants used: Alum, Iron
Mordant procedure used (see section A)

Water: Calgary tap water

Lightfast: Not tested
Washfast: Moderate colour loss with first wash.

Judi’s Notes:  Cutch extract mixed with boiling water until dissolved. Additional water added, and wet fibre added. Fibre soaked in “cutch tea” for 24 hours. Did not completed exhaust. Fibre removed from “tea” and washed with Palmolive dish wash soap.

Osage:

Dark Osage

•  North America
•  Dyestuff: Heartwood (wood chips, shavings or extract)

Procedure notes:

•  Mordant recommended. Use at least ½ weight of dyestuff to fibre when using woodchips and shavings. Use ¼ weight of dyestuff to fibre when using extract.
•  Dye Extract – dissolve in hot water before adding to the dye bath
•  Wood chips –soak in water overnight. Simmers wood chips for at least ½ hour to extract more dye colour – strain. Simmer fibres in dye solution for 45 minute or more until desired shade is reached
•  Used dyestuff can be simmered again to extract more dye colour for a second bath – will produce paler shades. Wood chips can be dried and reused.

Dye Date: November 20 / 2005
Source: Louet Sales / Shuttleworks
Quantity Used: 4 grams

Yarn / Fibre Used: 100% handspun wool – breed unspecified
Supplier: Local Alberta Wool Producer – raw fleece – washed, carded and handspun.

Proportion of Dyestuff to Fibre: 1: 4

Mordants Used: Alum, Iron
Mordant process used: (See Section A)

Water Source: City of Calgary tap water

Lightfast: Not tested
Washfast: moderate colour lost with first wash using Palmolive DW soap

Judi’s Notes: Recipe Used was from Maiwa Natural Dye Sample book. Sawdust was covered with water, and simmered for 30 minutes. Pour off first dye bath and save. Leave sawdust in pot, add water again, and simmer for another 30 minutes. Pour second dye bath into first dye bath. Strain off sawdust. Add wet fibres and simmer for one hour.

  
Kamala:

Kamala powder

Kamala dyed skiens (with mordants)

 •  Kamala powder is from the fruit of the Mallotus tree, an evergreen native to Southeast Asia
•  Was traditionally used in India and was extensively traded and exported.
•  Imparts beautiful colour on wool and silk – less so on cotton.
•  Dyestuff: powder

Procedure notes:

•  Kamala will only dissolve in an alkaline solution. It will appear to curdle then added to water. Add washing soda (start with a tsp) to dissolve the curds. Solution will be yellow.
•  Stir well. Add wet fibre, bring to a boil and then simmer for one hour.
•  Rinse fibre in vinegar to neutralize it. Too much washing soda makes the fibre feel harsh.
•  Use 30% weight of dyestuff to WOF* / and 3% washing soda to WOF. (*weight of fibre)

Dye Date: November 20 / 2005
Source: Louet sales / Shuttleworks
Quantity Used: 4.8 grams

Yarn / Fibre Used: 100% (handspun) breed unspecified.
Supplier: Local Alberta Wool Producer – Raw Fleece – washed, carded and handspun.

Proportion of Dyestuff to Fibre: 30% weight of dyestuff to weight of fibre

Mordants Used: Alum, Iron
Assist: Soda Ash (3% weight of fibre)
Mordant process used: (see Section A)

Water source: City of Calgary tap water

Lightfast: Not tested
Washfast: Low colour loss on first wash with Palmolive DW soap.

Judi’s Notes: Washing soda was used instead of Soda Ash, ands worked well.





Logwood:

Logwood

Logwood dyed skiens (with mordants)

•  Central America
•  Produces purple tones
•  Dyestuff: Heartwood (wood chips, granules, powder)

Procedure notes:

•  Mordant is required.
•  Wood chips – use ½ weight of dyestuff to fibre. Granules or power – use 1/10 (tenth) of the dyestuff to fibre.
•  Woodchips – pour enough boiling water to make a dye bath the leave to soak overnight. Pour off liquid and use for first dye bath. Simmer fibres 1 hour then remove from heat and let soak in liquid overnight. If colour is too pale simmer wood chips additional 20 minutes to extract more dye, then add to original dye bath solution and re-dye fibres.
•  Woodchips can be dried and reused
•  Alum mordant will produce a nice purple tone
•  Copper or iron mordant improves colourfastness. Iron will sadden the purple; copper will brighten it to a bluer hue.

Dye Date: November 20 /2005
Source: Louet Sales / Shuttleworks
Quantity Used: 8 grams

Yarn / Fibre Used: 100% (handspun) breed unspecified.
Supplier: Local Alberta Wool Producer – Raw Fleece – washed, carded and handspun by me.
Proportion of Dyestuff to Fibre: 1: 2

Mordants Used: Alum, Iron
Mordant process used: (see Section A)

Water source: City of Calgary tap water

Lightfast: Not tested
Washfast: Low to moderate colour lost on first was with Palmolive DW soap.

Judi’s Notes:  8 cups boiling water poured over 8 grams of dye stuff. Left to soak for one week (7 days). Woodchips were then strained out, and wet fibres were added to dye stock. Dye stock brought to simmer for 30 minutes only, as fibres looked quite saturated with colour. Remaining diestock saved for future experimentation, and woodchips re-dried.



 Madder Root:

Madder Root

Madder Root dye bath

Madder Root dyed skeins - with mordants

•  Central America
•  Produces purple tones
•  Dyestuff: Heartwood (wood chips, granules, powder)

Procedure notes:

•  Mordant is required.
•  Wood chips – use ½ weight of dyestuff to fibre. Granules or power – use 1/10 (tenth) of the dyestuff to fibre.
•  Woodchips – pour enough boiling water to make a dye bath the leave to soak overnight. Pour off liquid and use for first dye bath. Simmer fibres 1 hour then remove from heat and let soak in liquid overnight. If colour is too pale simmer wood chips additional 20 minutes to extract more dye, then add to original dye bath solution and re-dye fibres.
•  Woodchips can be dried and reused
•  Alum mordant will produce a nice purple tone
•  Copper or iron mordant improves colourfastness. Iron will sadden the purple; copper will brighten it to a bluer hue.

Dye Date: November 20 /2005
Source: Louet Sales / Shuttleworks
Quantity Used: 8 grams

Yarn / Fibre Used: 100% (handspun) breed unspecified.
Supplier: Local Alberta Wool Producer – Raw Fleece – washed, carded and handspun.

Proportion of Dyestuff to Fibre: 1: 2

Mordants Used: Alum, Iron
Mordant process used: (see Section A)

Water source: City of Calgary tap water

Lightfast: Not tested
Washfast: Low to moderate colour lost on first was with Palmolive DW soap.

Judi’s Notes:  8 cups boiling water poured over 8 grams of dye stuff. Left to soak for one week (7 days). Woodchips were then strained out, and wet fibres were added to dye stock. Dye stock brought to simmer for 30 minutes only, as fibres looked quite saturated with colour. Remaining dyestock saved for future experimentation, and woodchips re-dried.


Sandalwood:

Red sandalwood powder

mixed with rubbing alcohol

sandalwood dyebath

sandalwood dyed skeins (with mordants)

•  Red sandalwood is a large tree native to India and Indonesia.
•  Dyestuff is a powder that comes from the heartwood.

Procedure Notes:

•  Mix powder with enough rubbing alcohol to make a paste and stir well.
•  Can also be put in a nylon stocking to avoid having to strain the dye bath later.
•  Let sit in paste from 15/30 minutes – then put into a dye pot of clean water. Bring to a boil and simmer for one hour.
•  Remove nylon stocking (or strain solution) – add wet fibre and bring to boil again. Reduce temp and simmer for one hour.
•  Use 200% of dyestuff weight to WOF.

Dye Date: November 20 /2005
Source: Louet Sales / Shuttleworks
Quantity Used:

Yarn / Fibre Used: 100% (handspun) breed unspecified.
Supplier: Local Alberta Wool Producer – Raw Fleece – washed, carded and handspun.

Proportion of Dyestuff to Fibre: 2:1

Mordants Used: Alum, Iron
Mordant process used: (see Section A)

Water source: City of Calgary tap water

Lightfast: Not tested
Washfast: Moderately high colour lost with first wash - Palmolive DW soap.

Judi’s Notes: I used the process described on the right side of the page. It worked well.

Tumeric:

Grocery store tumeric

 •  From Southern Asia.
•  Used as a culinary spice
•  Dyestuff: roots

General procedure notes:

•  No mordant is necessary Iron modifier will give olive greens. Alkaline modifier gives reddish orange tones
•  Mix turmeric powder to a paste, stir well. Add more water, and continue stirring – pour into dye path. To remove particles, strain through coffee filter.
•  Can be applied to fibres with or without heat.
•  Rinse fibres AFTER they have dried and always use a pH neutral washing solution to prevent unwanted colour changes.

Dye Date : October 15/ 2005
Source: Grocery Store – spice section
Quantity Used: 14 gm

Yarn/ Fibre used: 100% wool (handspun) breed unspecified
Supplier: Local Alberta Wool Producer – Raw fleece – washed – carded and handspun.

Proportion of Dyestuff to Fibre:  (4 skeins @ 2gm each) 1.75 gm spice = 1 gm fibre
(Wild Color recommends 1: 2 )
Mordants used: Alum, Iron

Mordant process used :
•  Alum only: soak fibre in water for 20 minutes. Mix alum in water. Add yarn and simmer for one hour.
•  Iron mordant was added to dye bath after skeins had been added and simmered for an hour. One NO mordant skein and one ALUM skein were removed. Iron was added to dye bath, therefore mordanting one non-mordanted skein, and creating an “Alum/Iron” skein.

Water: Tap water from Calgary Alberta.

Lightfast: Not tested      
Washfast: Moderate colour loss on first wash with dish wash soap

The many colours of Natural Dyes: Voila!