Madder Dye Cut or ground ~ Dye Colour a variety of reds including orange, browns, reds, brick red, blood red and fiery reds.

*Collected in the Wild of Iran

The colour depends on a variety of conditions, like the soil the roots where grown, their age, the mineral content of the water used for dyeing, the temperature of the dye pot, and how much madder you use in relation to fiber. Many dyers suggest mordanting the wool just with alum and not to use cream of tartar as well, but that is your own choice and why not try to experiment a bit? Like with any dyeing, you will need to soak the fiber overnight or for a few hours before adding them to the dye pot for both hot and cold dyeing. You can dye with madder either cold or with heat; some dyers use chalk or cream of tartar to get better reds.

Colour fastness: Excellent

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Recipe for Wool: Downloadable PDF 

Recipe for Plant fibres: Downloadable PDF

Also available as dye kit!

Basic recipe:

(You can adjust the amounts as needed)

100 grams dried madder roots (soaked overnight and blended if possible or use ground)
100 grams mordanted (Alum) fiber (50 grams for darker reds or 300 grams for lighter colors)
7 to 10 liters of water
6 grams calcium carbonate (chalk) or cream of tartar, if using

Soak the roots in the dye pot over night
Bring o 65 degrees Celsius for one hour for reds, higher temp. will go more brown
Strain through cloth
Add yarn and dye bag to dye pot
Keep on 65 - 95 degrees Celsius for one hour

**IMPORTANT: The higher the temperature the darker the colour.

Weld (Reseda Luteola) dye is a renowned plant-based colourant with a rich history. Together with other natural sources such as Madder, Woad, and Dyer's Chamomile, it produces high-quality dyes suitable for temperate regions. In fact, the iconic medieval shades of Saxon green and Lincoln green were achieved by over-dyeing weld yellow with woad blue. Legend has it that Lincoln green was the preferred hue of Robin Hood's legendary band of outlaws. Reseda is often used to overdye blues, resulting in stunning and lively greens.

Colour fastness: excellent

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Recipe Downloadable PDF ~ Reseda

Basic Recipe:

100% Reseda

7% Soda Ash

Wool (mordanted with Alum)

Soak Reseda in Dye pot with Soda Ash overnight.

Bring to a simmer for 1 hour.

Strain through Cloth, put to the side.

Add wool to the dye pot and simmer gently for 1 hour.

*For a paler yellow add the dye bag to the 2nd bath and add the next lot of     mordanted yarn.

**The same bath can be used up to 3 times.

Organic *ground, **cut or whole Hibiscus flowers 

Cultivated in Egypt.

When using ground Hibiscus, use 50% of dye, according to the weight of the dry fabric/fibre for a light purple hue on wool and deep pinks or green with various mordants. For cut or whole Hibiscus, use 75-100% of dye based on the weight of the dry fabric/fibre. Colour fastness is poor and purple tones may shift to green, if exposed to high levels of pH.

PH sensitivity makes it a fun dye for children's activities and hobby dyers, who don't mind colour shifts or poor fastness.

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Basic Recipe: 

This dye will need a mordant, Alum, when dyeing wool. 
10-15% of Alum. 
Mordanted fabric or yarn, 50% - 100% hibiscus dye. 

Black Walnut Shells ~ Dye Colour Earthy light and dark browns 

*Cultivated in the USA

Using Black Walnut Shells for dyeing results in a rich, natural-looking earthy brown colour after one or two dye baths for deeper tones. This dye works especially well with silk and wool materials, and its uses range from dyeing to cosmetics to medicine. The colour is also notably long-lasting due to the high tannin  content.

Colour fastness: Excellent

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Basic Recipe:

50% ground or 100% whole Black Walnuts Soaked overnight

mordanted Fibre/Fabric 

After you have soaked the Walnuts in cold water overnight bring to 80 degrees Celsius for one hour. 

Strain out the shells/powder  and add mordanted fibre/fabric.

bring to 80 degrees for 1 hour. 
Leave overnight or 12 hours for deeper results. 

 Rinse and dry.

Glossy Buckthorn Bark Organic ~ Dye colour yellow golden, pinks and reds. 

*Collected in the Wild of Bosnia

To achieve reds and pinks, the PH needs to be increased to 10-11 (alkaline).  Keep in mind to always use PH neutral soap with PH sensitive colours. This dye gives a good green when iron is added and was used traditionally to make artist paint.

Colourfastness: Good

Ph Sensitive Dye

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Basic Recipe: 

65g bark, soaked in water for 2 days. 
100g mordanted yarn/fibre (Alum 13g)

Bring pot with dye to simmer For 2h.  
Strain through cloth, add yarn/fibre and dye bag to dye bath for 1h.  
Rinse.

SAFFLOWER DYE ~ lovely soft yellow and red

*Grown and harvested in Iran 

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) is a highly branched, herbaceous, thistle-like annual plant. It is commercially cultivated for vegetable oil extracted from the seeds. Plants are 30 to 150 cm (12 to 59 in) tall with globular flower heads having yellow, orange, or red flowers. Each branch will usually have from one to five flower heads containing 15 to 20 seeds per head. Safflower is native to arid environments having seasonal rain. It grows a deep taproot which enables it to thrive in such environments. (wikipedia)

Safflower can give a lovely warm red, but it doesn't dye red on wool. First you have to knead the safflower in water for a long time, discarding the yellow dye regularly until the water turns red. It is a long process, but worth the effort. It will dye Linen, Cotton and other plant fibres.

Colourfastness: poor - medium
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Basic Recipe for yellow

100g dye, soaked in water overnight.
100g mordanted yarn/fibre (Alum 15g)

Bring pot with dye to simmer For 1h. Strain through cloth, add yarn/fibre and dye bag to dye bath for 1h. Rinse.

CATECHU DYE ~ Dye Colour Brown and Beige

This versatile dye, also known as Cutch, produces a stunning range of brown shades when used on cotton, silk, and wool fibers. It is composed of two dyes - catechu-tannic acid, which dissolves in cold water, and catechin, which requires hot water. Additionally, some experts claim that Catechu is beneficial for those with eczema, might be worth a shot! Catechu is an extract and will dissolve in the water. Full with tannins it will also dye without a mordant. 

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Basic Recipe

200gr wool (mordant optional see note below)

20gr of Cutch extract made into paste with boiling water (keep on adding, tends to be sticky)

Add to dye pot (hot water) and simmer, stir regularly; 
Add the wool and simmer for 1 hour, leave overnight. The longer, the deeper the colour of the dye.
Leave wool out to oxidize before rinsing.

*Several more skeins can be added later for lighter colours. Catechu is difficult to exhaust

**mordant wool with Alum for brighter results, but it will also dye a nice browns without any mordant.

***use Iron for darker results

FUSTIC HARDWOOD DYE, Dyer's Mulberry ~ Dye Colour yellow and green

Fustic was introduced into Europe in the 16th century. It is a viable source of yellow, creating clear bright yellows to greens when overdyed with indigo. Made from the hardwood of Chlorophora or Morus tinctoria, this tree is part of the Mulberry family.

Fustic is extremely strong and only 25% of  dye (W.D.F) is needed. Once dyed, the wood chips can be dried and re used again another time.

Colourfastness: poor to medium

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Basic Recipe:

25% Fustic cut

10% Alum

Mordant yarn by dissolving Alum in hot water, add yarn and leave overnight.

Pour hot water over the woodchips and leave steeping overnight.

The next day:

Rinse mordanted yarn.

Strain dye and dry for another day.

Add yarn to dye bath, heat to 85C for 1hour.

Rinse and dry yarn.

*When using the dye again, boil it for 45min, the yellow will be darker.

**You can change the colour to olive green by adding 3% Iron.

*** Creates lovely clear greens when overdyed with Indigo

ALKANET ~ Dye Colour: Purple, grey

Our ALKANET ROOT is harvested in India. Its colour ranges from purple to blue to grey, depending on the extraction method and mordants used. Please note that alcohol extraction is necessary for obtaining true purples.

Colour fastness: Poor

Though we sell alkanet in our shop, I never use it. It isn't lightfast and due to needing a heated alcoholic solution it can become quite pricey when living in Ireland! However, if you would like to give it a go, alkanet is a mordant dye after extraction. 

• To extract 65g of powdered root you need to heat 1litre of 35% alcohol to 40C/104F. 
• Once extracted add the 1litre to a dyebath of 2-8L. 
• Add your mordanted textiles and proceed as usual. 

OAK MOSS ~ Dye colour Champange Beige to Brown

*Oak Moss from responsibly harvested forests in Mazedonia.

Champagne is the closest colour I can think of to describe the colour obtained by Oak Moss. You can influence the nuances by adding different mordants, but generally no mordant is necessary.
Oak Moss is also used for Soap making to add texture and scrub to the soap.

Colourfastness: good

From Wikipedia
Evernia prunastri, also known as Oak Moss, is a species of lichen. It can be found in many mountainous temperate forests throughout the Northern Hemisphere, including parts of France, Portugal, Spain, North America, and much of Central Europe. Oak moss grows primarily on the trunk and branches of oak trees, but is also commonly found on the bark of other deciduous trees and conifers such as fir and pine. The thalli of oak moss are short (3–4 cm in length) and bushy, and grow together on bark to form large clumps. Oak moss thallus is flat and strap-like. They are also highly branched, resembling the form of deer antlers. The colour of oak moss ranges from green to a greenish-white when dry, and dark olive-green to yellow-green when wet. The texture of the thalli are rough when dry and rubbery when wet. It is used extensively in modern perfumery. 

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A basic Recipe:

50% oak moss or more
wool/yarn ~ no mordant needed

Simmer moss for 3 hours.
Strain through Cloth.

Add wet wool to the dye pot.

Let it simmer for 1h, cool and leave overnight.

Rinse and dry.

ORGANIC SAGE OFFICINALIS CUT ~ Dye Colour greenish yellow and green.

Country of Origin: Bosnia and Herzegovina
Fine for consumption

Salvia officinalis is a perennial, evergreen subshrub, with woody stems, grayish leaves, and blue to purplish flowers. It is a member of the mint family Lamiaceae and native to the Mediterranean region. The plant is now widely spread and cultivated in many regions of the world.

Sage has been used since ancient times and can be eaten, used in herbal medicine and dyeing.

Sage can be used fresh and dry.

Colour fastness: Good - Excellent

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Sage recipe downloadable PDF

Also available as dye kit

Basic recipe:

100% Sage
3-5% Iron
Wool (mordanted with Alum)

HEATHER DYE ~ Dye Colour yellow and green

 Heather blooms in late Summer here in Ireland, covering our green hills in a blanket of purple, pink and white. Heather was traditionally used to dye wool and tweed yellow and green brown.

The Flowers by themselves will give clearer yellows and greens with Iron. The whole Heather plant, due to the tannin in the wood, creates deeper golden yellows and green browns with iron.

Colourfastness: Medium

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Basic Recipe:

100-200% Heather

10% Alum

Mordant yarn by dissolving Alum in hot water, add yarn and leave overnight.

Extract dye, by adding to pot and bring to 85C for one hour. Strain.

Rinse mordanted yarn.

Add yarn to dye bath, heat to 85C for 1hour or leave overnight for a deeper colour.

Rinse and dry yarn.

*You can change the colour to olive green by adding 3% Iron.

ORGANIC NETTLES ~ Used as herb and dye. Dye Colour yellow and green.

Country of Origin: Hungary

Urtica Fol. Organic, often known as common nettle, stinging nettle or nettle leaf, or just a nettle or stinger, is a herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the family Urticaceae. Originally native to Europe it has now spread worldwide.

Nettles have been used since ancient times and can be eaten, are used in herbal medicine and dyeing.

Nettles can be used fresh and dry - similar to Lovage, the best results are achieved with fresh plants, but dried plant material works well as well.

Colourfastness: medium

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Basic recipe:

100-200% Nettle (100% if using fresh only)
3-5% Iron
Wool (mordanted 10% Alum)

Line the pot with a cloth. Fill the pot half with water and add the nettle.
Bring to about 85-95 degrees Celsius for 1 hour.

Tie dye in Cloth and leave in bath.
Add wool and simmer gently for 1 hour.

Add 3% -5% iron to the dye bath to turn it green.

Remove after about 10min, rinse & dry.

Dried Organic Oak Bark ~ Dye Colour Golden Beige and Browns

*Organic Oak Bark is cultivated in Poland, European production

**Oak Bark is used for plant dyeing Wool and Silk. You can use them as a dye without any need to fix the colour due to the tannin content or you could throw in a few oak galls to bring up the tannin content.

*** Oak bark tends to go darker with a higher PH (8) and lighter beige colours with a lower PH (5)

Colourfastness: Good
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Basic recipe:

50% - 100% of Oak Bark
Wool (Mordant not necessary)

Soak the bark overnight
Simmer for 2 hours
Strain through cloth.

Add wool to the dye bath simmer for one hour.
Let it cool and leave in dye bath overnight.

Rinse and dry.

BIRCH LEAVES DYE ORGANIC (Betula pendula) ~ Dye Colour yellow and green

A birch is a thin-leaved deciduous hardwood tree of the genus Betula, in the family Betulaceae, which also includes alders, hazels, and hornbeams. It is closely related to the beech-oak family Fagaceae.

Colour fastness: Good

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Basic Recipe:

Alum (mordant) 15% D.W.F
Dry birch leaves 100-200% D.W.F

Soak the leaves for a day before using.

Boil the soaked leaves for one hour and drain. Add the alum to this solution and simmer the yarn for half to one hour.

*If the yarn is dried without rinsing and then placed in a weak birch ash lye, the colour becomes a reddish yellow.

**You can change the colour to green by adding 5% Iron.

Organic European Solidago ~ Dye Colour: yellow, orange and green

Our Solidago or Goldenrod in the common tongue, is organically grown and harvested in Europe, Poland.

Solidago, commonly called goldenrod, is a genus of about 100 to 120 species of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae. Most are herbaceous perennial species found in open areas such as meadows, prairies, and savannas. They are mostly native to North America, including Mexico; a few species are native to South America and Eurasia. Some American species have also been introduced into Europe and other parts of the world. (wikipedia)

Colourfastness: medium - good

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Basic Recipe for yellow:

100% Solidago
wool (Alum mordant 10%)

Soak the leaves for a day or overnight before using.
Boil the soaked leaves for one hour and drain.

Simmer yarn for up to one hour. Rinse and dry.

WHOLE POMEGRANATE FLOWERS ~ Dye Colour Yellow

Harvested in India, wild Collection

Wool, Silks, Cotton and Linen can be dyed with Pomegranate. It gives a darker yellow, depending on quantities used. 

*Also suitable for soap making and consumption
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Colourfastness: Poor

Basic Recipe for yellow:

Basic Recipe for orange/yellow:

100gr wool or silk mordanted in 10% Alum and for 1 hour. 

50-100g flowers

1.Soak flowers over night. 
2.Pour mixture through a cloth, tie off the flowers (dye bag) and keep in the dye bath. 

3.To dye: Simmer wool for one hour. Leave in dye bath to cool (will deepen the colour)

Rinse and dry

Dyer's Broom cut

This product, DYER'S BROOM ~ cut, is traditionally utilized for dyeing yellow and green shades. The resulting green hue tends to lean more towards a tan colour.

Colour fastness: medium

Basic recipe:

100% Broom
10% Alum
3% Iron as green option

Mordant as required, extract broom in 85C degrees Celsius for 1h. Remove dye, switch off pot and add your item and leave overnight. Treat with iron as an after mordant. Rinse, wash.

Colour fastness: medium

The birch tree, scientifically named Betula pendula, is a type of thin-leaved deciduous hardwood tree found in the Betulaceae family. This family includes other types of trees such as alders, hazels, and hornbeams, and is closely related to the beech-oak family Fagaceae. When using birch bark (cut), be aware that the dye colour of pink, browns, and salmon, though very pretty, can have poor to medium colour fastness.

Colour fastness: poor - medium

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Basic Recipe:

Alum (mordant) 10-15% D.W.F
Birch Bark 100-200% D.W.F

Pour boiling water over the bark and steep for 24-48h

Boil the bark for two hours and strain. Add the mordanted yarn to the bath and leave until desired colour outcome or overnight.

*You can change the colour using iron, or other shifters like soda ash or citric acid

Dried Organic Walnut Shells ~ Dye Colour golden and dark Browns

*harvested in the wild in Croatia

Walnut shells or husks are used for plant dyeing Wool and Silk. Preferably, you would like to use green Walnut shells, the dye colour brown is more radiant, but not everybody has a Walnut tree in the back garden, so try the dried shells instead.

IF you do have a tree handy, do collect the green husks and freeze them. You can use them as a dye without any need to fix the colour due to the tannin content.

If you use the dried husks, I would suggest to use a mordant, too. But do try without it, you might like the result!

Colourfastness: Good - Excellent

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Basic recipe:

100% of Walnut shells
Wool (Mordant not necessary)

Soak the shells overnight
Simmer for 2 hours
Strain through cloth.

Add wool to the dye bath simmer for one hour.
Let it cool and leave in dye bath overnight.

Rinse and dry.

ALDER CONES (Alnus glutinosa)

Alder cones, similar to the bark, contain tannins which produce beautiful shades of brown and yellow. They offer a moderate to strong level of colour fastness.

Colour fastness: Medium to good

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Basic Recipe:

Alum (mordant) 10-15% D.W.F
Alder cones 100-200% D.W.F

Pour boiling water over the cones and steep for 24-48h

Simmer the cones for two hours and strain. Add the mordanted yarn to the bath and leave until desired colour outcome or overnight.

*You can change the colour using iron

ROSEHIP SHELLS ORGANIC CUT OR GROUND ~ Dye Colour Yellow and Orange

Eastern Europe

Wool, Silks, Cotton and Linen can be dyed with Rosehip. It gives a light-yellow orange, depending on quantities used. 

*Also suitable for soap making and consumption
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Colourfastness: poor - medium

Basic Recipe for orange/yellow:

100gr wool or silk mordanted in 10% Alum and for 1 hour. 
200g Rosehip

1.Soak 100gr Rosehip overnight. 
2.Pour mixture through a cloth, tie off the Rosehip (dye bag) and keep in the dye bath. 

3.To dye: Simmer wool for one hour. Leave in dye bath to cool (will deepen the colour)

Rinse and dry

Experience the joy of working with our fully dried African Tagetes flowers, grown to organic standards and hand-collected and dried in Ireland, Co. Clare. These flowers are bursting with dye, perfect for colour extraction (but maybe not flower printing due to their bulky size). Limited availability, so don't miss out! 

African Tagetes (Tagetes erecta) Flowers in yellow and orange

Grown to organic standards

Hand collected and dried in Ireland, Co. Clare

25g = 15-20 flower heads

Colour fastness: poor to medium

COLA NUTS 

latin: Colae Nuces tot. botanical: Cola nitida (Vent.) A. Chev.

Cola nuts are a popular tannin source of dye in Africa, often paired with Indigo. They offer a rich, natural orange colour and when combined with Indigo can create an almost black colour. The use of Cola nuts in dyeing has been a well-known and respected tradition in Africa for generations.

Colour fastness: very good

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Please visit this youtube link to watch a video from 1996 using Indigo and Cola beans.

"A Dyeing Art"- Indigo & Cola Nut & Textiles - Circa 1996

https://youtu.be/pG1zd3b7q34