Cooperative Living January 2016 - 31

and this member of the mustard family
can be invasive, so for both reasons, sow
from seeds and discard the remaining
plant each year, treating it as an annual.
Fabric dyed bright yellow with weld
next. Such inconsistency is considered a
problem for mass producers of fabric who
desire uniformity, but a gift of individuality
for artists.
can be " overdyed " with Woad to make
Lincoln Green, said to be the method
favored by Robin Hood and his Merry
Men. True Indigo (Indigofera tinctoria), the
South Carolina plantation variety, requires
a long growing season. Japanese indigo
(Polygonum tinctorium) likes heat and
humidity too, but can be grown
successfully in colder climates. Start
indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost and
treat it also as an annual. When plants are
a foot or two in height, they are ready for a
first harvest. Cut the stems several nodes
up from the ground, and they will resprout
for more harvests. Fedco Seeds in
Maine sells these reliable indigo seeds
(www.fedcoseeds.com).
DIRECT DYES AND MORDANTS
There are two kinds of natural dyes.
One is direct or substantive dye (such as
tea, high in tannin, the substance that
makes you pucker when biting an unripe
persimmon), which naturally contains a
fixative. The second type produces a
pigment that requires a separate fixative
process, known as a mordant dye. A
mordant fixes the color, binding the dye to
the cloth, making it less likely to fade in
the wash or sun.
MAGICAL EFFECTS
Wet the cloth before dyeing it and, if
possible, make that element natural, too.
Rainwater is soft and gives the best
coloring effect. Work in a well-ventilated
area. You could use a heavy-duty hot plate
in the garage or perform the process
outside on a propane camp stove and
invite friends or children to gather round
to witness the magic.
Of course, make sure that all your
Color grown to be enjoyed twice, first as
flowers and again as natural dye.
Common mordants are alum (a
pickling spice), iron, cream of tartar,
copperas, wood ash and soda ash. Part of
the art of dyeing is playing with the color
effects of different mordants on yarn dyed
using the same plant. Other fun aspects of
the alchemy of dyeing are that botanical
dyes depend on the composition of the
climate, sunlight and pH of soil. Just as
those conditions produce variety in grape
crops giving wines distinctive character,
the same fruit or leaves used for dye can
produce cobalt blue one year and teal the
equipment, pots, stirrers and measurers
are used only for dyeing. A 3- to 5-gallon
vat is good for starters. If you want
uniform dyeing, allow enough room for
fabric to float freely, but folds produce
striations that lend a rustic, handcrafted
effect, as do concentrated clumps of color.
Enamel pots are less expensive, but
stainless steel is the most heat efficient so
will save time.
Stirring rods can be made from
bamboo stems cut to a comfortable length.
Boil plant material to remove the color,
then strain and use the water to tint wool
or silk with a unique character and
vibrancy. There is no such thing as a bad
batch, even if it is not exactly what you
expect. Nature astonishes with pleasing
results. 
Painted daisy,
pot marigold, tansy,
dyer's chamomile and
amaranthus pack this
pretty yet practical
dyer's garden.
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January 2016 | Cooperative Living | 29
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Cooperative Living January 2016

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