mordanting Archives - Page 5 of 8

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

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

How To: The Mason Jar Method for Solar Dyeing

We’ve put together this easy Mason jar method for solar dyeing! Use these tips all summer long for a fun, energy and water-saving way to create color! The jars featured here are filled with our fruitwood chips (apple, cherry and peach) and on sale until next week! Equipment and ingredients for the Mason jar method for solar dyeing: -1 wide-mouth, 32 ounce (1 quart) glass Mason Jar with lid. You can also use any heat-resistant large glass jar. If your fiber doesn’t fit easily into the jar, you can use a wide mouth 64 ounce (2 quart) jar or larger … Read more

Q & A: Round Up of Scouring + Mordanting 101

Mordanting and scouring should be at the top of your things-to-do list before natural dyeing. Botanical Colors Founder Kathy Hattori recently took on as many questions as was humanly possible to clarify the processes. Before reading, also please see our How-To Scour and How-To Mordant pages. Scouring Questions If I use untreated and unbleached fabric, is it a must to scour the fabric or is washing it enough? If you mean by “untreated” that it has never been scoured, then you should scour. If untreated and unbleached means it is also prepared for dyeing (PFD or RFD), then you can … 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?

FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Channeling Champagne on Silk

This week on FEEDBACK FRIDAY: How to channel the color of champagne on silk with a natural dye like cutch

FEEDBACK FRIDAY: This Week in Natural Dye Questions

This week on FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Too much dye on yarn and which natural dye extracts can be used without mordanting?

FEEDBACK FRIDAY: This Week in Natural Dye Questions

This week: Quebracho rojo gets the spotlight and microwaving wool?

Botanical Colors Natural Dye Glossary

There are so many terms and techniques in the natural dye space that we decided to create a natural dye glossary for you! Unless you work in a natural dye house full-time or have been doing dyeing since time immemorial, you’re not apt to know everything. We created this glossary of terms so that you can look like a plant dye master and a natural dyeing pro. Well, at least you’ll sound like it. Check out the terms below and shoot us an email if you think we left something out and need to add it! Natural Dye Glossary Alkaline: … Read more

FEEDBACK FRIDAY: This Week in Natural Dye Questions

This week: How to use tannin extract, pros and cons of liquid dyes and mordanting for a big art project

FEEDBACK FRIDAY: This Week in Natural Dye Questions

This week: softening fibers post-mordanting and how do you get a deep red with raw madder root?