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Mordant Monday: Gallo Tannin, Fustic and Madder Gradation

This week’s Mordant Monday focuses on Gallo Tannin, also known as Oak Gall tannin, or Oak Galls. We used the extract made from Oak Galls in our gradation, but a similar result comes from oak galls that have been crushed or pulverized. Gallo Tannin is one of the ancient tannins with many uses, including making black ink, leather tanning, and in traditional Asian medicine. It is the most commonly used tannin when mordanting with tannin + alum, as the color it imparts is very light, and it doesn’t show a strong undertone, like sumac or walnut or other tannins with … 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: Alum From The Supermarket To Eco Print?

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 teach kids paper making and am starting an eco print enrichment this week. We are using cotton fabric. I bought alum at the grocery store thinking it was all I needed to soak the fabrics and have them bond with the flower dye, but as I read more into the topic I only find myself more confused at the minute differences. I just want the pigment from the flower petals to bond with the fiber for learning … Read more

Mordant Monday: Sneak Peek on Hand Painting Yarns and Fiber

For this MM (posting on Tuesday because what is time anyway?) we wanted to get you excited about some new mordanted yarn offerings we are launching in the upcoming weeks for the holiday season. In case you didn’t know, Kathy is an incredible yarn dyer and we wanted to share with you some of her fun tips on creating beautiful rainbow creations on yarn and fibers. With our mordanted yarn bases, you will be able to create your own color palettes and personalize yarns for your own projects! Getting started We will offer detailed instructions for basic yarn painting once … Read more

A spoon of yellow powder on a stack of bright yellow and green fabrics and yarn

FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Mordanting Fabric Before or After Indigo Dyeing

This week on FEEDBACK FRIDAY: When overdyeing indigo with weld, mordanting before or after?

MORDANT MONDAY: Aluminum Acetate + Calcium Carbonate Before Dyeing?

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. Your directions for mordanting with aluminum acetate say to mordant, place fibers in dye pot, then . . . do the calcium carbonate bath then dye – what is the correct order? “Remove, rinse lightly and proceed to dyeing. Calcium carbonate can shift dye colors due to its higher pH, so we like to rinse it prior to use.” KATHY ANSWERED: You mordant with aluminum acetate, and when it is done, remove from the aluminum … Read more

MORDANT MONDAY: Color Bleeding + Pickling Vegetables With Aluminum Acetate?

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 new to dyeing and am hoping you can provide some knowledge. I have mordanted and dyed a cotton sheet with oak gall, cutch and ferrous sulfate. I sprinkled citric acid to remove some color while the fabric was drying. If I now bathe the fabric in calcium carbonate will the color change? If so in what way? Currently the dye is coming off on my hands when I handle the fabric. Should I iron? Should … Read more

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