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Post by koffipot on Nov 22, 2013 8:25:25 GMT
Alchemy is such fun! Having been pleased with my elderberry dye (my first try at natural dyeing) I decided to try a couple more. I found some white 2 ply yarn lurking in the bottom of a drawer and decided to use it. Mordanted in Alum and Cream of tartar then into the dyebaths of elderberry, ivy leaves and pomegranate. Here are my colours. I may try some modifiers next time. It's amazing how the pomegranate dye is a lovely pink colour which gives a mustardy yellow colour to the yarn. Autumn colours so I suppose they could go into the Autumn Challenge too. Here's the pic, but the colours aren't true. www.flickr.com/photos/koffipot/10990621395/
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Post by Shepherdess on Nov 22, 2013 14:00:14 GMT
Very cool. The yellow is a nice one. What modifiers were you thinking of?
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Post by koffipot on Nov 22, 2013 15:20:37 GMT
Copper to brighten, iron to sadden. Any advice gratefully received - I'm very much at the bottom of the learning curve! The elderberry came out a brownish purple, but I really like it. Another bonus to this is that I've found a better use for the demijohns!
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Post by Pandagirl on Nov 22, 2013 15:27:02 GMT
Beautiful. It's suprising the pomegranate would turn out a mustard color. It's always fun to have surprises especially when they turn out so nice.
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Post by MTRuth on Nov 22, 2013 15:44:23 GMT
Wow - nice colors. I do like all three colors and it is interesting seeing the pomegranate one. How did you make the pomegranate dye bath? from the seed part of the pomegranate?
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Post by koffipot on Nov 22, 2013 17:19:40 GMT
The whole fruit - well, apart from a few juicy seeds which somehow found their way into my mouth whilst I was chopping them up! Apparently you can either just use the skin or the whole fruit. I knew it would turn out a greenish yellow, which it did on some silk, but this is more mustard. I'm now planning my planting for next year.
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Post by Shepherdess on Nov 23, 2013 0:04:40 GMT
There is a type of dying that uses the pot as mordant so maybe finding a copper pot would be safer than adding copper as a chemical. I think aluminum is supposed to do something too.
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Post by koffipot on Nov 23, 2013 8:09:47 GMT
Yes, I've heard of using the pot as a mordant and you can dye and mordant at the same time. I have an old aluminium preserving pan which was relegated to craft work a few years ago. Rhubarb leaves can also be used as a mordant and as a modifier - will have to wait till spring for those! For the copper and iron modifiers I'm going to make my own from the 'recipe' in my dyeing book. I'll collect some off-cuts of copper pipe and some rusty iron bits and bobs and put each into a jar of white vinegar. I'm told that after a couple of weeks they're ready to use. We'll see
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Post by zed on Nov 24, 2013 11:45:09 GMT
Make sure you hide all your metal scrap or those collectors will be pestering you! You should write some tutorials and sell them, Judith, there's a lot of interest and you've got some great results.
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