Natural dyeing is a multi-step process, and one that needs to go rather smoothly if the best results are to be obtained. So yesterday I set out for a “trial run” using a product I found at a craft store. These were tea bags (tea and coffee make a nice tan-brown natural dye too), with some colorant added. This way I could focus on the process, and not on the dyes yet.
Step 1 in the process is to prepare your fibers, which I did; bundle, wash, and dry. Next, weigh the bundles you are dyeing, and calculate the amount of mordant needed. Mordant is a fixative for the color, and Yes, there is some math involved. Step 3, simmer the fibers for an hour in a pan with the measured mordant and enough water to cover the yarn. Prepare the dye baths. After an hour, remove the yarn bundles from the mordant and place into the dye bath. Time, temperature, and the amount of “scraps” used will determine the color. The variables are endless here, as are the results, but variety and unexpected surprises are what makes it so much fun.
