Read the dyeing tips and instructions below to learn how to naturally dye natural fabrics and fibers.

Before Starting : Safety First

When working with dyestuffs, powders, and chemicals, it is recommended to always wear waterproof rubber or plastic gloves, a dust mask to avoid inhaling fine powders or vapors, and plastic goggles to protect your eyes. Always work in a well-lighted and ventilated area. Read all safety notices and warning labels for each ingredient you work with.

Also remember to keep a dedicated set of tools (pots, spoons, measuring cups, etc.) to be used for Dyeing ONLY and to never use those tools for any other use after they are used for dyeing.  Some chemicals and dye ingredients may react to pots or tools made out of certain metals such as copper, aluminum, cast iron, etc. Therefore it is a good rule to always use stainless steel or enamel pots, as well as stainless steel, wooden, or plastic spoons and utensils when dyeing.

GETTING STARTED:

Weighing, Soaking, Scouring & Mordanting

Before dyeing your yarn, fabric or fiber with natural dyes, you must prepare the goods in order to assure optimal dye absorption and color fastness.

↠ Weighing: It is important to know and record the weight of the goods (yarn, fiber, fabric, etc.) you intend to dye, so that you can accurately calculate the amounts of mordant, dye, and water you will need for your project. Use your journal to record the weight of goods for each project, so you can also come back and recreate a project. The projects included in this Dye Study already have weights and measurements calculated, but you can still practice weighing and recording them.

↠ Soaking: Soak your goods in water anywhere from two hours up to a day, soaking opens up the fibers and allows for better dye absorption.

↠ Scouring: Submerge your goods in a stainless steel pot of water mixed with a drop of dishwashing detergent or textile detergent (like Sheepy Clean Wool Wash). Slowly bring to a simmer for 20 minutes (180°F for silk, or 190°F for wool and other natural fibers). Carefully rotate the goods once or twice. Be careful not to let the water evaporate too much. After an hour, turn off the heat and allow to cool. Remove good and carefully rinse.

↠ Mordanting:  Mordanting is the very important process of treating your goods with some form of water-soluble metallic salt which helps to bond the dye to the fiber, fabric or yarn. Most natural dyes require the use of a mordant in order for the dye to stay fixed on the goods and not rinse off. There are different types of mordants for different fibers and which give you different results. The most commonly used mordant for natural dyeing Protein fibers is Alum (Aluminum Potassium Sulfate). Cream of Tartar is also used as an “assist” alongside Alum, which helps the goods and fiber to better absorb the alum. Cream of Tartar can also be used to modify the final color, especially with dyes like madder.

Basic Mordant Recipe for Protein Fibers:

To mordant, fill a large stainless steel pot with enough water to cover the goods and with enough room for them to move freely. For every 100g of dry fiber or goods, add 1 tbsp. (14g) of Alum (Aluminum Potassium Sulfate) and 2 ½ tsp. (12g) Cream of Tartar (C.O.T.) to ¼ cup hot water and whisk until dissolved. Add the dissolved Alum water to the large pot of water and stir well. You can use this general formula to calculate the amounts used for more or less fiber or goods. (See calculation cheat sheet in page 28).

Mordant Formula for Protein Fibers
Alum: 14%  of  Weight of Goods | or 14g Alum per 100g Goods
C.O.T.: 13% of Weight of Goods | or 12g C.O.T. per 100g Goods

Next, add the scoured, wet goods. Slowly bring water to 180° for silk, or 190° for wool and other natural fibers, keeping it just under a simmer. Keep at this temperature for an hour, gently rotating goods every 10 minutes or so. Be sure the goods remain submerged the whole time. After the hour is up, turn off heat and allow goods to cool in the pot. (You can also leave the goods to soak in the mordant for an additional time or overnight for even stronger color results). Rinse goods with cool water, and then squeeze excess water from goods and proceed to dyeing, or you can store damp goods in a plastic bag or bucket for up to 7 days wet, or allow to dry and label them as mordanted so they are ready for use in the future. Try to use the dried mordanted goods within a month, as over a longer period of time the alum can begin to degrade the fiber.

Extracting the Dye

When using natural dyes, the pigment and color must be extracted from different parts of the dye plants, such as leaves, stems, bark or roots. These dye stuffs can come as whole pieces or in ground form.

↠Depending on the weight of the goods you want to dye, most dyers follow a formula recipe of using 10% dyestuff to the weight of goods, to achieve medium shades of color. So for example, if you want to dye 100g of goods, you will need 10g of dye powder or pieces. For lighter colors and shades, use a lower percentage, for darker, a higher. (See calculation cheat sheet in page 28).

↠ Stir or whisk dye stuffs or dye powder into a saucepan with 3 cups of water. Bring water to a simmer, and simmer gently for at least one hour, stirring occasionally and being careful not to burn. You can add some more water if the level gets too low. If you want to extract stronger color, you can soak dyestuff in saucepan overnight BEFORE simmering. Be sure to note in your journal how much dye you used and for how long you soaked/simmered your dye. After dye cools, strain it through fine muslin or cheesecloth and reserve the extracted dye water for your dye bath. Don’t worry if some dye plant pieces get into the dye bath or onto your wool or fiber during the process, they will shake out easily when the dyed item is dry.

Dyeing Instructions

↠ Fill a stainless steel or enamel pot with at least enough water to cover the goods you are dyeing. Choose a pot size that fits the size of the goods you want to dye. You can add more water for lighter shades if you choose.

↠ Stir in your extracted dye color. Add your damp, soaked and scoured goods into the pot and submerge gently, being sure that every part of it is covered. Slowly bring water in the pot to a simmer (180°F for silk, or 190°F for wool or other fibers). Simmer for at least 1 hour for best color absorption. Carefully turn the goods every 10 minutes or so for even dyeing.

↠ After simmering, you can turn off the heat and allow the goods to cool completely in the pot for best color absorption. You can also leave the fiber to soak in the dye bath overnight if you choose. If there is any dye color left in the pot, you can save and reuse the bath for lighter shades.

Finishing:

↠ Carefully remove goods from the cooled dye bath, and squeeze any excess water from them. Fill a tub with warm water and a drop of Sheepy Clean or dish detergent, and gently submerge the goods into the water, carefully squeezing out any dye. Be careful not to agitate raw fiber, wool or roving to avoid felting. Repeat this process of dunking, lifting, and refilling the tub, until the goods rinse clear. Hang goods or lay flat to dry out of direct sunlight.