Welcome to the last week of our natural dye along. Thank you so much to all of you for following along and trying something new. This week, I am covering how to modify your natural dye colors.
Modifying Dye Colors
Modifying dye colors is an extensive topic that could take years of research and practice to explore all the possibilities. With the same dye good, it is possible to achieve several different colors. There are several ways to do this. First, how you mordant your fabric makes a difference. In this dye along, I followed the procedure to use aluminum acetate followed by a calcium carbonate bath. Using wheat bran instead of calcium carbonate can change the color of some dye goods. Using the mordant method of tannin plus aluminum acetate or aluminum sulfate also yields different colors. Changing the tannin used (chestnut, sumac, gallo tannin) in the mordant process, again, can change your color. For example, last week I was working with madder root and osage orange. When I changed from using a cotton fabric mordanted with aluminum acetate and calcium carbonate to a linen/cotton blend mordanted with tannin followed by aluminum acetate, I achieved orange colors I have never dyed before. You can see the samples I kept below.
Another way to change the color of your dyes is by modifying the pH of your water. There are many household items you can use to change the pH. One I consistently use is placing cutch dyed fabric in a bath with soda ash, a basic. It changes the dye from a light terra cotta color to a russet red. Other examples of modifiers include baking soda and vinegar. Baking soda is a basic which I have used, for example, with madder roots to change the color from a salmon red to a bubblegum pink. Vinegar, on the other hand, is acidic. One example of using vingear is with black beans. Vinegar will change the greyish black bean color towards purple. In general, acidic modifiers will change your colors more towards a yellow while basic modifiers will turn your color more towards pink.
Lastly, a very common way to change your dye colors is with iron. Iron “saddens” the color of your dye making it turn more towards a grey. For example, yellow turns green, the terra cotta color of cutch turns chocolate brown, and pink turns purple. I love these moodier colors because they mix in perfectly with stronger colors when I choose a color palette for quilting. However, they will not be vibrant shades. Some refer to iron as greying out a color, so expect that these colors will be duller tones.
Challenges of Modifying Colors
While modifying your dye colors is a wonderful practice in natural dye, I suggest you are cautious and take notes when modifying your dyes. I have had many a fabric ruined by experimenting with modifiers. For me, I will take the ruined fabric for the knowledge and expansion of my natural dye practice. However, it’s certainly not enjoyable to have a good dye go bad. Here are a few bits of advice. When modifying the pH, start small. If you turn the pH too far, you may completely wash out the dye and be left with a nearly white fabric. This is especially true when using acidic modifiers. Second, a tiny bit of Iron goes a long way. Iron is very powerful and will ruin your fabric if not used sparingly. The “greying” effect of Iron means that too much Iron, heat, or duration will turn your color to a dark grey.
How to Use Modifiers
Let’s start with modifying the pH. Most often this is done by adding an ingredient that is basic or acidic directly to your dyepot. Generally, I choose to dye my fabric first before the modifier then add the modifier to the dye pot and continue to dye for around 10 minutes. You can also add the modifier to your dyepot initially before adding fabric. In the case of cutch, it is common for dyers to first dye the fabric and then place it in a new pot that includes dissolved soda ash.
To dye with Iron, you will make an Iron vat. To do this, dissolve a small amount (1/4 tsp) of Iron in hot water and add it to a pot of water. Heat the Iron vat only to 140 degrees. Remove the pot from heat and place your already dyed fabric in the pot. Move your fabric around continuously and watch closely. The change of color can happen in seconds and you will want to remove the fabric quickly to avoid damage. It is recommended to use just one pot for Iron. Traces of Iron can be difficult to remove and could ruin future dye projects.
Care of Fabric
We have gone from choosing and scouring fabrics all the way to modifying the dye colors. Let’s talk about how to care for your fabric. When you remove fabric from the dye pot, you should rinse the fabric until the excess dye is removed. Hang the fabric to dry. I also recommend giving your fabric a wash with a gentle detergent. Some dyers recommend waiting to wash fabric for a couple weeks to allow the dye to fix to the fabric.
After washing, store the fabric somewhere away from direct sunlight. All dye goods have a lightfastness which is how lasting their color is in the sunlight. It is worth noting that all fabrics fade in sunlight, even synthetically dyed fabrics. I keep naturally dyed quilts on my couch with a large south-facing window without worrying about light, but I wouldn’t intentionally hang my dyed goods in a window or leave them on my clothesline after they have dried.
When using your naturally dyed fabrics for a sewing project, I think you will be very pleased with their texture and durability. They are my favorite fabrics for quilting. You can cut, iron, and apply steam to the fabric just like any other fabric.
Thank You
Again, thank you to everyone who has followed along up until this point. It has been so much fun for me to share this craft with you and see you all learn and experiment. I will be announcing one more winner of a Natural Dye Kit at the end of this week! Please continue to share your dyed fabric with me by using the hashtag #naturaldyealong and tagging me on Instagram. As always, send me an email if you have any questions.
