We get lots of emails from customers about challenges with dyeing and needing Botanical Colors’ President Kathy Hattori’s help. Why not share the learning so we can all benefit? From our inboxes to you, it’s simple: You Asked, Kathy Answered. Email questions@botanicalcolors.com with your plea for help!
YOU ASKED: I would like to dye some of the beautiful hemp I have from Botanical Colors in shades of green using weld and logwood. I see the only weld you are currently offering is in natural flower form and not an extract. That’s great, my extract has turned to rock, so flowers are now on my order list, but the recipe is based on the extract. How would I scale the percentage of dye flowers to make a similar recipe as the extract? Thanks for your help!
KATHY ANSWERED: You can still use the weld extract rock for dyeing – the easiest way to do this is to weigh it. If it’s never been opened, you can use the package weight. Then dissolve it in hot water – like 1000 ml so you can get a percentage.
For example, if it’s 50 grams of weld extract that’s solidified and you dissolve it in 1000 ml of boiling hot water, then the amount of weld per milliliter is .05. If you need 15 grams for your project, divide 15 by .05 and you get 300. 300 ml of the weld mixture should be equivalent to 15 grams of weld extract.
Otherwise, if you want to use the weld flowers, calculate it at 100% wof of your goods and make the extraction based on that. Add 1% calcium carbonate if the color seems weak or your water doesn’t have many minerals. Then use that to dye your yellow.
You might also like to read:
You Asked, Kathy Answered: Bright Yellow From Weld
MORDANT MONDAY: Aluminum Acetate + Calcium Carbonate Before Dyeing?
Video From Live FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Making Green With Natural Dyes
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Calcium carbonate (a common addition to the madder dye bath to deepen shades and may also be used with weld extract to bring out the bright, rich yellow shades)