Natural Dyes Archives - Page 7 of 32

Video From FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Fibershed Ireland Takes on Linen + Woad

Last week on FEEDBACK FRIDAY we took an inspiring textile and color journey with Fibershed Ireland! We travelled to the island of Ireland and met Mario Sierra from Mourne Textiles. Mario is bringing a spinning mill at the foot of the Mourne Mountains in Northern Ireland back to life. Despite having a rich history of linen production from soil to textile, in the last 30 years the linen industry has pretty much left Ireland, save a handful of weavers and finishers. Mario intends to change that at Mourne Textiles. We also met Jennifer Lienhard of AppleOak FibreWorks who talked about her … Read more

MORDANT MONDAY: Tips On Temps For Mordanting 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: Does your wool gauze need to be scoured before I mordant it? KATHY ANSWERED: I do not scour the wool gauze as it’s so sheer and fine and it seems pretty clean. It takes the dyes exceptionally well with a mordant only. YOU ASKED: Which type of mordanting do you think ensures color fastness? KATHY ANSWERED: Color fastness is a function of the dyestuff and the mordant, not the mordant alone. If you dye a mordanted fabric … Read more

MORDANT MONDAY: Does Alum Triformate Shift 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 have just recently tried Alum triformate, first time using it. Have you had reports that it shifts the colors? We used Sequoia extract that was purchased from Maiwa, and it should have a dusty brownish purple, and it did on the regular alum mordanted bits I had in there- but it made a greenish grey on the triformate. Just wondering if you had info on this? I’m going to do a test with 2 skeins in … Read more

Video From FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Heidi Gustafson & Book Of Earth

On our last FEEDBACK FRIDAY we had Book of Earth author, artist and ochre translator, Heidi Gustafson. Heidi is based in the Cascade foothills of rural northern Washington. Her collaborative ochre and iron research projects include work with scientists, anthropologists, linguists, indigenous practioners, citizen foragers, healers, artists and places around the planet. Heidi’s current projects focus on ochre, iron oxides and land pigments and her cabin/studio houses the Ochre Sanctuary, a counsel of ochres and pigments from contributors world-wide. She also just published the most beautiful book ever called Book of Earth. Watch the recording below. Website Instagram About Heidi: … Read more

Video From FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Natalia Woodward of Bat Flower Press

Last week on FEEDBACK FRIDAY, we had Tarrytown, New York-based Natalia Woodward, the founder of Bat Flower Press. In 2020, Natalia founded Bat Flower Press, a letterpress and papermaking studio that focuses on sustainable handmade paper and artistic letterpress designs. Having worked with high end art collectors and organizations such as New York City’s MoMA, Natalia has spent her career around precious artwork, and sees her company as an opportunity to bridge art and functionality, to collaborate with others, and to create meaningful work that is approachable to all. Watch the recording below. Bat Flower Press Instagram Bat Flower Press website Natalia … Read more

Video From FEEDBACK FRIDAY: María-Elena Pombo of Fragmentario

Last week on FEEDBACK FRIDAY, we had María-Elena Pombo of Fragmentario. Continuing on with our Earth Month series, María-Elena focused on using materials that are a byproduct of the food industry to prevent them going to landfill, but also as a strategy to promote non-extractivist and decolonial futures. Likewise, promoting using free materials and finally centering plants people have a connection with. María-Elena Pombo was born in Caracas and lives in New York City since 2011. She works through open-ended research projects that are normally translated into installations, objects, sculptures, and videos. Watch the recording below. About María-Elena Pombo: Instagram … 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

The Beginner Dye Kit: Deep Red

These instructions are for wool or silk. This color is trickier to achieve on cotton or linen. If available, use filtered, distilled or reverse osmosis water for the dye bath. MATERIALS CLICK HERE for our post on setting up your dye studio. PROCEDURE Different Shades For rich reds with an orange base, omit the calcium carbonate in the dye bath. How can I get a different red? Madder and cochineal are the 2 historic reds that react differently when mixed with a mild acid such as cream of tartar. Madder loses its red shade and shifts to orange, and cochineal moves from a magenta … Read more

Video From FEEDBACK FRIDAY: (Alumnae) Brece Honeycutt + Anita Cazzola Talk Waste

Last time on FEEDBACK FRIDAY, we welcomed back FEEDBACK FRIDAY alumnae Brece Honeycutt and Anita Cazzola. The two engaged in a conversation about waste: wasted color, waste as invasive, waste as wasted time to not stop and smell the flowers, color under our feet people see as waste (the dandelion?!), color in sad places people see as waste… With Brece recently home from a month-long residency at Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library (see in her bio below), and Anita in the middle of doing a residency at the New Brunswick College for Craft and Design, we got to experience a … Read more

MORDANT MONDAY: Silk, Cashmere + Heat

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 several cashmere sweaters that are the most boring colors ever and I’d love to try over-dyeing. I have Orvis paste to scour with but wanted to check that the 180 degree hold for 30 minutes would also work for cashmere – I see sheep and goats on the website answer about scouring so I am assuming yes, but there is this little question in the back of my head – email to the experts it … Read more