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MORDANT MONDAY: Mordanting For Mixed Fibers + Blotchy Linen

We get mordant questions all the time at Botanical Colors so why not create Mordant Monday??? Got mordanting questions? Email [email protected] This week on MORDANT MONDAY… YOU ASKED: I tried the oak gall tannin and then symplocos method on linen and for the life of me I can’t get an even dye. The mordant looks blotchy. Not sure what to do. I get consistently blotchy pieces with linen. KATHY ANSWERED: Hmm. Unevenness in mordanting and dyeing can come from a number of bedeviling sources. The first thing that comes to mind is the cleanliness of the fabric. If the linen isn’t evenly … Read more

MORDANT MONDAY: Mordanted Pieces Resist Wetting Out

We get mordant questions all the time at Botanical Colors so why not create Mordant Monday??? Got mordanting questions? Email [email protected] YOU ASKED: I love the fact that aluminum triformate works with cold water. When I let mordanted pieces dry until I’m ready to use them, I have a hard time wetting them out before submerging them in a natural dye bath. Do you have an explanation or any tips? KATHY ANSWERED: I’ve noticed that alum mordanted fibers and fabrics can sometimes resist rewetting, especially in cold water. I’ve had skeins that I put in a water bath to rehydrate … Read more

MORDANT MONDAY: Dissolving Aluminum Acetate + Re-Mordanting

We get mordant questions all the time at Botanical Colors so why not create Mordant Monday??? Got mordanting questions? Email [email protected] YOU ASKED: My aluminum acetate often does not completely dissolve even with boiling water. Do you recommend putting the undissolved mordant in the vat with the fabric/textiles or would you strain? My assumption is that by excluding the undissolved mordant, one is reducing the amount used for the WOF. KATHY ANSWERED: Aluminum acetate is tricky to dissolve, but it should eventually dissolve. Sometimes I leave it overnight and it dissolves completely. I do not recommend putting lumps of undissolved … Read more

MORDANT MONDAY: Non-Toxic Mordants + Brightening Color

We get mordant questions all the time at Botanical Colors so why not create Mordant Monday??? Got mordanting questions? Email [email protected] YOU ASKED: I am sure you have received this question a bunch but I am curious, is the new cold water mordant Aluminum Triformate you are selling considered to be just as good as Aluminum Potassium Sulfate? Is it also considered to be just as “non toxic” as far as natural mordants go? KATHY ANSWERED: Aluminum triformate seems to work as reliably and well as Aluminum Potassium Sulfate. It is more acidic than APS, so we always rinse after … Read more

MORDANT MONDAY: Mordant With Liquid Dye + Reusing Baths

We get mordant questions all the time at Botanical Colors so why not create Mordant Monday??? Got mordanting questions? Email [email protected] YOU ASKED: Should I mordant (alum is my go to) for your liquid dye indigo? I have read that it is not a needed step but also don’t want to dye without alum and make a big mistake. Hoping you can clarify please!! KATHY ANSWERED: Thanks for your email and the question. The liquid indigo, also called Saxon Blue, was developed in the 1700s to dye wool. We recommend that you mordant and alum is perfect prior to dyeing, … Read more

MORDANT MONDAY: Alum Sulfate & Acid-Loving Ornamentals?

We get mordant questions all the time at Botanical Colors so why not create Mordant Monday??? Got mordanting questions? Email [email protected] What is Mordanting? Mordanting is the most important process of preparing fibers to accept color. Using a mordant helps to ensure the most durable and long-lasting colors. With the exception of indigo (as a vat dye, it does not require a mordant), this is not an optional step. However, there are many different mordants you can use. Deciding which mordant to use comes down to the types of fibers you want to dye and how much time or energy … Read more

MORDANT MONDAY: To Mordant Or Not To Mordant + Disposing Of Mordant Baths

MORDANT MONDAY: Hair Dyeing, Dog Toys & Sticky Angora

We get mordant questions all the time at Botanical Colors so why not create Mordant Monday??? Got mordanting questions? Email [email protected] (Image: The Dogwood Dyer) YOU ASKED: Hi there! I’m interested in your products, particularly the cochineal, and I’m wondering if I can use it for dyeing my hair. If so, do the same instructions work that are listed here? I’ve seen The Dogwood Dyer’s instructions here and it sounds like she’s putting the alum directly in the dye. I’d like to achieve a pink color like what she did. I’d so appreciate if you could help me understand exactly how … Read more

MORDANT MONDAY: Using Alum Sulfate For Plant & Protein Fibers?

We get mordant questions all the time at Botanical Colors so why not create Mordant Monday??? Got mordanting questions? Email [email protected] YOU ASKED: I’m confused about the different types of aluminum mordants. I want to do some dyeing of fabric (silk, cotton) and also some wool. Do I need to use different aluminum mordants for these different fibers? I was told that I needed aluminum acetate for plant fibers and aluminum sulfate for protein fibers. Is that true? I have alum sulfate and would love to use it for both if that is workable. KATHY ANSWERED: Mordanting provides lots of … Read more

MORDANT MONDAY: Does Alum Acetate Have a Shelf Life?

We get mordant questions all the time at Botanical Colors so why not create Mordant Monday??? Got mordanting questions? Email [email protected] YOU ASKED: I have some alumimum acetate mordant that is 18 months old. It is kept in a plastic container inside a freezer plastic bag. I heard it has a short life. How do I know when it is not worth using? KATHY ANSWERED: I have also heard that aluminum acetate has a short shelf life but I asked our supplier and they were unaware of this issue and have never provided us with a “best by” usage date. … Read more