Weaving Baskets - Some Natural Dyes

There is a fascination about colouring one's ownfresh bath of one tablespoonful of bark extract, half a
material that only one who has proved it canteaspoonful of indigo and one-quarter of a teaspoonful
understand. As an artist mixes his colours, one dyeof logwood to one quart of water.
after another is tried until at last a fortunate blendingDark Bluish Green. Soak the material in a bath
gives the desired shade. Solid extracts of vegetablecomposed of one tablespoonful of copperas in one
dyes are sold which simplify the process; or, if onequart of water for half an hour. Then boil in a fresh
lives in the country, hedgerow dyes are plentiful forbath of one quart of water in which one tablespoonful
those who have eyes to see and patience to useof bark extract, three quarters of a teaspoonful of
them. If one does much dyeing, rubber gloves areindigo and a piece of logwood extract the size of a
almost a necessity, and a brass preserving kettle willpea have been dissolved. Let it simmer for several
be found useful. If small quantities of material are dyedhours or until the desired shade is obtained. The same
at a time half- worn basins or saucepans of mediumproportion of dye in two quarts of water will give light
size will do. Wash the rattan and raffia, especially theshades.
latter, in soap or soda and water and rinse thoroughlyDark Red. A good dark red is made with three-
before dyeing. One of the secrets of even colouring isquarters of a teaspoonful of logwood extract,
to boil the dye slowly, leaving the material in it for hours.one-quarter of a teaspoonful of fustic extract, two
In this way full deep colours will be obtained even ontablespoonfuls of cochineal, two tablespoonfuls of
rattan.stannous chloride and one-quarter of a tea- spoonful
Indian Red. A beautiful shade of Indian red is made byof cream of tartar, in one quart of water. Boil slowly
boiling the material slowly for six hours in the followingfor several hours.
solution. Two tablespoonfuls of cutch extract and aOrange. A beautiful orange may be made with one
small crystal of blue- stone (about as much as wouldtablespoonful of orange fustic, one- quarter of a
go on a ten-cent piece) dissolved in one quart of boilingteaspoonful of cochineal, two table- spoonfuls of
water.stannous chloride, one-quarter of a teaspoonful of
Green from Indigo and Fustic. Mordant the material toalum in one quart of water. Boil slowly until the colour is
be dyed with alum (three ounces of alum dissolved ina little deeper than you wish, as it will dry lighter.
a quart of water), and dye in a solution of oneYellow Brown. Boil the material slowly in the following
tablespoonful of indigo and a small crystal of copperassolution for several hours. One tablespoonful of cutch
in one quart of boiling water. When the desired depthextract to one of fustic in one quart of water.
of colour is obtained remove the material, wash theOlive Brown from Cutch. To one tablespoonful of
loose dye from it and dye in a fustic bath (one quartcutch extract allow one tablespoonful of fustic and
of water in which one tablespoonful of fustic has beenone-quarter of a teaspoonful of logwood. Dissolve in
dissolved) to the shade required. Instead of fustic, barkone quart of water. The material should boil slowly in
extract may be used. If a brighter shade is needed,this bath for several hours.
add one or two tablespoonfuls of alum mordant to theBrown from Madder. In one quart of water dissolve
bath.one to two tablespoonfuls of madder. Do not allow it
Olive Green. Soak the rattan or raffia in water, then into boil, but leave the material in it for five or six hours,
one quart of water in which one tablespoonful ofjust below the boiling point.
copperas has been dissolved, for half an hour. Boil in a