Overview:
This book, written by Ethel M. Mairet in 1916, explores the world of natural dyeing, focusing on the use of plant and lichen dyes to color wool, silk, and cotton. The author provides a detailed overview of different fibers, the importance of mordants, and specific recipes for achieving various colors. While highlighting the history and traditional use of these dyes, Mairet also explores modern techniques and alternative solutions for the contemporary dyer.
The book begins by introducing the different types of wool, silk, and cotton used in dyeing, emphasizing the need for thorough scouring before dyeing. It then dives into the intricacies of mordants, explaining how they act as a chemical bridge between the dye and the fiber, ultimately influencing the final color. The author meticulously details the different types of mordants, including alum, iron, tin, chrome, and copper, offering practical examples and tips for their effective use.
Key Findings:
- The resurgence of natural dyes: While chemical dyes dominated the market in the 19th century, interest in natural dyes has been steadily increasing as concerns about environmental impact and a desire for authentic colors grow.
- The importance of mordants: The use of mordants is crucial for achieving both fast and brilliant colors with natural dyes, requiring careful preparation and understanding of their chemical properties.
- The diversity of plant and lichen dyes: This book showcases the extensive range of colors attainable from native British plants and lichens, highlighting their unique properties and potential for vibrant and lasting hues.
- The complexity of dyeing processes: Achieving consistent and desired colors requires careful attention to detail, meticulous preparation, and a deep understanding of the dyeing process.
Learning:
- The basics of natural dyeing: The reader will learn about different fibers, their specific properties, and how to prepare them for dyeing.
- The role of mordants: This book explains the science behind mordants, how they work, and their impact on the final color.
- Recipes for natural dyeing: The text provides numerous recipes for dyeing various colors using specific plant and lichen dyes, offering a practical guide for experimenting with natural dyes.
- Historical context of natural dyes: The reader will gain insight into the history and traditional use of natural dyes, understanding their significance in various cultures and their gradual displacement by chemical dyes.
- Environmental considerations: The resurgence of natural dyes speaks to the growing awareness of the environmental impact of synthetic dyes and the value of eco-friendly practices in crafting and textile production.
Historical Context: This book was written in 1916, a time of significant industrial growth and the rise of synthetic dyes. However, the author highlights the continued use of natural dyes in certain communities, especially in remote regions like the Scottish Highlands and Ireland, where traditional practices persisted. This historical context underscores the enduring appeal of natural dyes and their connection to local traditions and craftsmanship.
Facts:
- Wool’s natural grease protects it from moths: This grease should be retained until dyeing, as washing it out exposes the wool to moth damage.
- Spanish wool was once the finest in the world: However, Spanish sheep have since been introduced into various countries, resulting in high-quality wool from Australia, New Zealand, and other places.
- Indigo is insoluble in water: Therefore, it must be treated with chemicals like sulfuric acid or lime to create a soluble form for dyeing.
- Woad was the only blue dye in the West before indigo: It was widely used for staining bodies and dyeing cloth before the introduction of indigo from India.
- Logwood was banned by Queen Elizabeth I: The color was considered unstable and unreliable, leading to its prohibition, though it eventually found renewed use for black and purple dyes.
- Kermes was the primary red dye in the Middle Ages: Its vibrant and lasting colors were used extensively in tapestries and textiles until the discovery of cochineal scarlet in the 17th century.
- Weld is the best and fastest yellow natural dye: It is prized for its bright colors and permanence, making it a sought-after dye for both wool and silk.
- Turmeric is a substantive dye: It colors cotton directly without the need for a mordant, yielding vibrant orange-yellow hues.
- Catechu is a powerful dye for cotton: It is used for various shades of brown, grey, and black, offering a rich and permanent color.
- Alder bark dyes brown and black: It has been traditionally used for dyeing brown, but with the addition of copper sulfate, it produces black.
- Walnut husks are used for dyeing brown: It is important to use them fresh and unoxidized to achieve the desired color.
- Peat soot provides a good brown shade for wool: It is sometimes used to enhance the hazel color of wool previously dyed with weld and madder.
- Oak bark can be used to dye brown: It requires a mordant, such as alum, to achieve the desired color.
- Onion skins produce a good yellow dye: Adding tin to the dye bath creates an orange hue.
- The use of astringents in dyeing relies on their tannic acid content: Tannic acid strengthens the bond between the dye and the fiber, adding brilliance to the colors.
- Different mordants produce different colors with the same dye: Cochineal, for example, yields crimson with alum, purple with iron, scarlet with tin, and purple with chrome or copper.
- Cotton has a strong attraction for tannic acid: This makes it a valuable mordant for cotton dyeing, as it helps the fiber retain the dye permanently.
- The Indigo Vat process is complicated and difficult: It involves deoxidizing indigo, which requires careful preparation and maintenance of the vat.
- The Zinc-lime indigo vat is a more stable alternative to the hydrosulphite vat: It is less affected by temperature fluctuations and can be reused after a long period of rest.
- The quality of indigo used in the Zinc-lime vat is crucial: Only finely ground indigo that floats on water will be properly reduced, ensuring consistent dyeing results.
- Silk requires stronger indigo vats and longer dips than wool: This is needed to achieve the same depth of color on the finer silk fibers.
- Silk is treated with soap to remove its natural gum: This process prepares the silk for mordanting and dyeing.
Statistics:
- 12 lbs: The weight of a long woolled sheep fleece can reach 12 lbs.
- 36 inches: The record length of a long woolled sheep fleece.
- 20%: The percentage of tannic acid found in divi-divi.
- 25-40%: The percentage of tannic acid found in myrobalans.
- 25-35%: The percentage of tannic acid found in valonia.
- 20%: The typical percentage of indigo in a 20% indigo paste.
- 15-20 gallons: The typical capacity of a dye vat for cotton and linen using the Zinc-lime indigo process.
- 160°F: The minimum temperature required for the initial mixing of indigo and zinc dust in the Zinc-lime indigo vat.
- 120-140°F: The optimal temperature range for the stock vat in the Zinc-lime indigo process.
- 65-70°F: The ideal starting temperature for the dye vat in the Zinc-lime indigo process.
- 150%: The amount of weld used to dye silk yellow.
- 100%: The amount of madder used to dye silk red.
- 50%: The amount of fustic used to dye silk yellow.
Terms:
- Mordant: A substance that binds dye to the fiber, making the color permanent.
- Substantive Dye: A dye that colors the fiber directly without the need for a mordant.
- Indigo Vat: A chemical solution used to dye with indigo, which involves reducing indigo to a soluble form.
- Cutch: A common name for Catechu, a natural dye derived from tree bark.
- Tannin: An astringent compound found in plants, often used as a mordant in dyeing.
- Scouring: The process of washing wool or other fibers to remove impurities and grease.
- Saddening: The use of a mordant to darken or modify a dye color.
- Greening: The process of adding a yellow dye to blue-dyed wool to achieve a green color.
- Alum: A common mordant used for dyeing various colors.
- Chrome: A mordant used for darker colors, especially browns.
Examples:
- Harris tweed’s distinctive smell: This is partially attributed to the use of crottle, a lichen dye, in its production.
- Queen Elizabeth I’s ban on logwood: This historical example demonstrates how the perceived instability of certain natural dyes could lead to their prohibition.
- The use of weld in dyeing greens: The author emphasizes how weld, combined with indigo, produces the most brilliant and lasting green colors.
- The Turkey Red process: This intricate and time-consuming dyeing process showcases the complexity of achieving certain colors with natural dyes.
- The Zinc-lime indigo vat: This modern dyeing technique provides a stable and reusable method for dyeing cotton and linen with indigo blue.
- The use of bracken to dye silk grey: This traditional technique highlights the diverse range of dyeing possibilities with various plants.
- The use of lichen to dye silk brown: This example demonstrates the versatility of lichen dyes for achieving various shades of brown.
Conclusion: Ethel Mairet’s “Vegetable Dyes” provides a comprehensive guide to the techniques and recipes for dyeing with natural dyes. The book not only offers practical advice for contemporary dyers but also sheds light on the historical and cultural significance of these dyes. The author’s emphasis on the importance of mordants, the diverse range of plant and lichen dyes, and the meticulous dyeing processes underscores the intricate art of natural dyeing. This book serves as a valuable resource for anyone interested in exploring the beauty and sustainability of natural colors.