HAWTHORN BERRIES DYE
Dye Colour: Original Beige/Yellow | With Iron: Silver Grey, Grey Green | Country of Collection: Hungary
Hawthorn berries are rich in tannins and provide soft and earthy tones, ideal for dyeing wool and silk. The natural beige or yellow hue can be modified by adding iron, creating subtle shades of silver grey, grey, or grey-green. The resulting colours are earthy and gentle, as seen in the yarns dyed with Hawthorn, giving a timeless, organic feel to any fibre project.
In addition to dyeing, I sometimes use Hawthorn berries to slightly lower the pH in dye baths, such as when dyeing with Madder to create richer orange tones.
Colour Fastness: Poor - Medium when using a mordant.
Colour Outcomes by WOF Ratio:
- 100% WOF Dye (Hawthorn): Produces a soft beige or yellow.
- After mordant with Iron: Creates silver grey, grey, or grey-green hues.
Basic Recipe for Dyeing:
Ingredients:
- 10% Alum
- 100% Hawthorn
- 1-3% Iron
Instructions:
- Mordant yarn with 10% Alum, either hot at 85°C (185°F) for 1 hour or cold for 12-24 hours.
- Extract Hawthorn for 1-2 hours at 85°C (185°F). Strain dye.
- Add mordanted yarn to dye liquor and leave for 1 hour at 85°C (185°F).
- Add Iron to modify the colour, if desired. The more iron you add, the greener the shade becomes. Aerate between dips and avoid leaving the yarn in the iron bath for more than 5-10 minutes.
- Rinse and hang to dry.
Bring the beauty of earthy, organic hues to your fibre projects with Hawthorn, a dye plant with centuries of natural tradition.
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