| Natural dyes produce an extraordinary diversity of rich | | | | there is no need to use it if you don't want to. The |
| and complex colours as well as unexpected results, | | | | most popular wool mordants in current use are alum |
| making them exciting to use. It is easy to design using | | | | and cream of tartar and they are quite safe. Alum, for |
| natural colours as they complement each other well | | | | example, is used to treat drinking water and cream of |
| and rarely clash. Synthetic dyes, on the other hand, | | | | tartar is used in baking cakes. |
| often look bright and garish and they require more skill | | | | How long does it take? |
| in colour matching. | | | | Short of time? Synthetic dyes are like fast food, fine if |
| Naturally dyed yarns are full of pleasant surprises as | | | | you want quick results. They are also the pragmatic |
| well as being great motivators. You will find that you | | | | solution if you want to repeat the same colour |
| cannot wait to get back to work on your knitted | | | | precisely, although they require more calculation and |
| jumper, cotton quilt or woven cushion and you will | | | | measurement to achieve this. Natural dye extracts, |
| probably end up with very few unfinished or | | | | however, are just as quick to use as synthetics but |
| abandoned projects. Another advantage is that | | | | produce the genuine natural colours of real natural |
| leftover yarn from one project can easily be | | | | dyes. |
| incorporated into the next, avoiding a stash of | | | | Natural dyes usually require larger quantities than |
| unwanted yarns. | | | | synthetic dyes. To dye 100 grams of wool for |
| Where do they come from? | | | | example, you might need up to 50 grams of dried |
| Most natural dyes come from dye plants, the | | | | madder root. Natural dye extracts do not require such |
| best-known ones being woad, weld and madder from | | | | large quantities and 10 grams of madder extract |
| Europe, and brazilwood, logwood and indigo from the | | | | should easily dye 100 grams of wool. Some natural |
| tropics. Some, such as cochineal, come from insects | | | | dyes are very strong and small amounts of cochineal, |
| and a small number, including iron and copper salts, | | | | brazilwood and logwood dye a large amount of fibre. |
| come from mineral sources. | | | | Synthetic dyes may be less costly to buy than natural |
| Plant dyes may contain several compounds and their | | | | dyes but the main cost is your time if you grow your |
| proportions vary with the type of soil and the climate | | | | own plant dyes and if you use the sun as a source of |
| where the plants were grown. A yarn dyed with | | | | energy. |
| madder roots has a wealth of colour variation, whilst | | | | Start now! |
| the same yarn dyed with its synthetic equivalent, | | | | Nothing beats the satisfaction of growing your own |
| alizarin, lacks this subtle variation in colour and can look | | | | colours and being self-sufficient in dyes. Weld and |
| very uniform. | | | | woad grow quickly and can be harvested in the same |
| How permanent are they? | | | | season; you will have to wait at least three years, |
| Some people think that plants produce only pale | | | | however, for decent sized madder roots to develop. In |
| colours and that these colours fade quickly. Several | | | | addition to colour, dyers chamomile and several other |
| plants do indeed yield fugitive or pale colours but | | | | dye plants give a very pleasant aromatic smell when |
| traditional dye plants produce vibrant blues, greens, | | | | you simmer them. Growing your own should produce |
| reds and yellows that can last for centuries. | | | | enough dyestuff to allow for endless experimentation. |
| If you look at well preserved textiles in museums, you | | | | Imagine travelling through the country, and finding that |
| will see that natural dyes age well. The same red in a | | | | the colours of people's clothes changes from North to |
| newly finished Persian carpet mellows into different | | | | South. Instead of High Street uniformity, you could |
| hues from the various dye lots that have been used, | | | | have regional colours based on the plants that grow |
| giving much pleasure to the eye. Synthetic dyes, on | | | | there and on the chemical composition of the local |
| the other hand, fade rather than mature. | | | | water. |
| The secret of bright and long-lasting colours is good | | | | Unlike synthetic dyes, natural dyes are not dependent |
| preparation and, like home baked bread, natural dyes | | | | on non-renewable resources. With the current increase |
| require time. The yarns need to be properly scoured | | | | in environmental awareness, people are more inclined |
| and mordanted before they are dyed. They may sit in | | | | to wear natural fibres and natural colours. Indeed, the |
| the dye vat from an hour up to a month and the | | | | Soil Association says on their website that their |
| colours benefit from curing before the yarn is washed. | | | | standards for organic goods allow the use of natural |
| Some people are put off by this lengthy process but | | | | dyes only. |
| most of the time the yarn is left unattended and you | | | | Using natural dyes is both exciting and addictive. Start |
| can get on with something else. | | | | now and see what it is all about. And if you can't wait |
| Mordants | | | | for your dye plants to grow, use natural dye extracts |
| What about the mordants? Isn't chrome toxic? | | | | and get a head start! |
| Although chrome has often been used as a mordant, | | | | |