Thursday, August 15, 2013

Natural Dyeing - Brown



This picture really doesn't show the color well.  After making a dye bath from collecting what looks like dead wild flowers (who knows what these are???) and using alum as the mordant for the wool yarn, I made a great color - a golden tan, but it is definitely more on the brown side than the yellow side, which I am glad about - to finally have something turn out anything but yellow!


6 comments:

  1. Very neat! Did you get your alum online?

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  2. The color turned out really nice! It's so hard to photograph naturally dyed yarn, isn't it.

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  3. If you are looking for a really rich dark brown, try black walnuts. You don't need mordant.
    http://plain-jane-remembrances.blogspot.ca/2012/10/dyeing-with-walnuts.html

    You can keep dipping in the same pot too, and get gradients of brown right down to beige. It even works on linen and cotton. It was my most successful dye experiment yet.
    And you are right...it is so nice to get something other than yellow!

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  5. I was going to suggest Black wal-nuts too.But what ever you do where rubber gloves.They stain your hands awful.But the color on the wool is beautiful.

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  6. Oh I wanted to tell you,you can dye with marigolds.
    Take it easy with the alum.It tends to make the wool harsh.
    I have some japeneze indigo seeds here.I have been growing my own for a fe years now.If you would like I
    wil send you some.They require a long growing season.So you need to start them in the house around feb.and transplant out doors.They also need humid conditions.
    You do not need a mordent with indigo.You make a vat.
    send men e-mail. would have e mailed you,but lost your address.

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