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

------------

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.

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

-------------

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
-------------
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

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
-------------
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