Natural Artist's Paints & Plant Dyes

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Plant Dyes
Our plant dyes are available in 4 color tones-- Midnight Blue, Forest Green, Golden Yellow and Heather Gray. Each packet is enough to dye 1-2 oz of fiber. Protein fibers work best. See the instructions below for more information. Each packet is $20.
The natural plant dyes will vary based on the season and what is found in nature and on our farm. New colors will be available seasonally. Please specify your preference and quantity.
Click on the Etsy link or email: tobi@periwinkleskies.net to order.

Instructions for Using Plant Dyes
Supplies needed:
Natural dye packet
Protein Fiber works best: wool, silk, angora, soy, alpaca, etc
Fiber wash--pH neutral
Mordants--alum and iron
pH Modifier--vinegar, ammonia, washing soda
Buckets, non-reactive pots, spoons, tongs, heat resistant gloves, thermometer dedicated for dyeing (not to be used with food).
Heat source, timer, drying rack, pH strips (range 1-14)
Use eye, hand and lung protection--goggles, gloves and a mask.
Work outdoors or in a ventilated space.

Pre-wash and Pre-Mordant Natural Fiber
Most commercial yarns are pre-cleaned. Hand-spun fibers may need multiple rinses to release their grease. Prepare your fibers before dyeing with by washing, and pre-mordant for specific colors. Alum will brighten reds, yellows, oranges and bright blues; iron will darken greens, dark blues, violets and dark browns. Both alum and iron are safe for use and disposal. Pre-mordant fiber for more even dyeing, and stronger colors (when mordants are recommended).
For safety use a mask, gloves, eye protection, and ventilation.
Pre-mordant ratio 15% alum, 2% iron to dry weight of fiber
Add mordant to simmering water, stir until dissolved.
Add pre-soaked fiber, temper before gently stirring. Simmer for 1 hour, turn occasionally. Keep the temperature low (between 160-180F).
Avoid extreme temperatures to retain the softness of the fiber.
Remove fiber and hang to dry. If combining fibers with different mordants into one bath, rinse to remove cross-mordant contamination.
Cold pre-mordant method: dissolve mordant in hot water and add to cool water bath. Soak fiber for 12-24 hours.

Stove-top Dyeing
Your prepared fiber to natural dye packet ratio is 1:1 (by volume) dried plant matter:fiber. If desired, you can put the dried plant matter in a strainer bag or cheesecloth.
Soak the fiber in water prior to dyeing. This helps the dye to penetrate the fiber evenly.
When you are ready to begin your dyes, add just enough water to cover the natural plant dye and fiber, so that they can move freely.
Slowly heat to 180F. Add modifiers; keep the pH between 4-10. Simmer the plant material for 1 hour (prior to adding the fiber).
Gently squeeze out the excess water from your soaked fiber. Carefully add your fiber to the dye bath and simmer for 1 hour. Stir gently and occasionally, for even coverage.
Remove the fiber from the dye bath and allow it to cool. Rinse thoroughly. If needed, add a few drops of a pH neutral fiber wash to the rinse.
Swing, spin or press (between towels) out the excess water.
Alternatively, you can make a solar dye bath instead of a stove-top dye bath. Steep for 1+ week in sunlight in a jar (keep the lid loose to account for expansion from the fermentation process.)

Mordants and pH modifiers can also be added to the dye bath
Mordants are mineral salts that chemically bind to protein fibers. They affect the appearance of dyes. The dyes bind to the mordants within the fibers--which improves the light and color fastness.
Alum (aluminum sulfate) brightens colors.
Iron (ferrous sulfate) saddens or darken colors.
Alum and iron are safe for use and disposal.
Most dyes produce stronger colors with mordants. Some need mordants to produce any results. A few dyes work better without a mordant.

pH Modifiers
Keep your pH between 4-10 for fiber integrity.
Acid--vinegar, citric acid, cream of tartar will lower the pH (1-6).
Base/Alkaline--sodium carbonate/washing soda/soda ash, ammonia will raise the pH (8-14).
Some dyes work well with a neutral pH (7).
Testing is essential--many dyes are destroyed by acidity.



PLANT PIGMENTS

ORANGE--annatto seeds, rudbeckia, bloodroot, carrots, chicory, cosmos, dyers broom, coreopsis, goldenrod, marigold, madder, osage, persimmon, pomegranate, saffron, safflower, sassafras, st john's wort, sunflower, sweet potato, turmeric, jewelweed

PINK--avocado (skin and seed), cherries, dandelion, hollyhock, lichens, madder, pokeweed, raspberries, red onion skins, roses and lavendar, pokeweed, echinacea, sorrel, strawberries, woad, virginia creeper

BLUE & PURPLE--blackberry, blueberry, cherry roots, cornflower, elderberry, geranium, grapes, hyacinth, indigo, lady's bedstraw, raspberry, red cabbage, madder, mulberries, oregon grape, pokeweed root, saffron, iris, woad, huckleberry

RED & BROWN--lady's bedstraw, beets, burdock, chokecherries, comfrey, dandelion root, dock, elderberry, fennel, geranium, hibiscus, hops, madder, onion, pokeweed, pomegranate, rose, st john's wort, staghorn sumac berries, sweet woodruff, blackberries

GRAY & BLACK--blackberry, walnut hulls, butternut hulls, elderberry, iris roots, meadowsweet, oak galls, raspberry, sumac leaves, sunflower hulls, yarrow

GREEN--agremony, angelica, artemisia, barberry root, bayberry, rudbeckia, chamomile leaves, echinacea leaves, dock leaves, foxglove, hydrangea,larkspur, lilac, nettle, peach leaves, peony, mint, pigweed, plantain, snapdragon, sorrel roots, tansy, yarrow

YELLOW--feverfew, foxglove, goldenrod, nettle, rosemary, tansy, alfalfa seeds, bay leaves, barberry, beetroot, burdock, chamomile, crocus, daffodil, dahlia, dandelion flowers, dock, dyers chamomile, elderberry leaves, fennel leaves and flowers, fenugreek, heather, horseradish, marigold, mullein, onion, oregon grape roots, oxallis, peach leaves, plantain, pomegranate peel, red clover, saffron, safflower, salsify, st john's wort, sunflower, tansy, weld, yarrow


MUSHROOM PIGMENTS

ORANGE--Areoboletus mirabilis, Boletus rex-veris, Cortinarius neosanguineous, Cort. ominosus, Cort. subcroceofolius, Cort. uliginosus, Echinodontium tinctorium, Gymnopilus ventricosus, Hypomyces lactifluorum, Inonotus obliquus, Phaeolus schweintitzii, Pisolithus arhizus, Pycnoporellus alboleuteus

BLUE & PURPLE--Boletopsis grisea, Boletus rex-veris, Hydnellum caeruleum, Hyd. fuscoindicum, Hyd. regium, Hyd. suaveolens, Inonotus obliquus, Phellodon niger, Polyozellus atrolazulinus, Cortinarius neosanguineus, Cort. ominosus, Cort. sucroceofolius, Cort. oliginosus, Echinodontium tinctorium, Hapylopilus nidulans, Hypomyces lactifluorum, Omphalotus olivascens, Ramaria spp., Sarcodon squamosus, Tapinella atromentosa

RED, PINK & BROWN--Cortinarius neosanguineous, Cort. ominosus, Cort. subcroceofolius, Cort. uliginosus, Echinodontium tinctorium, Hypomyces lactifluorum, Pisolithus arhizus, Pycnoporellus alboleuteus

GRAY & BLACK--Bankera violascens, Cortinarius bolaris, Cort. violaceus, Hapalopilus nidulans, Hydnellum aurantiacum, Hyd pineticola, Hyd. spongiosipes, Leucocoprinus birnbaumii, Omphalotus olivascens, Paxillus panuoides, Phellodon alboniger, Phel. atratus, Phel. confluens, Phel. niger, Polyporus badius, Sarcodon imbricatus, Sarc. underwoodii, Thelephora terrestris, Tramtes versicolor, Tricholomopsis rutilans

GREEN--Aureoboletus mirabilis, Boletopsis grisea, Boletus rex-veris, Hapalopilus nidulans, Hydnellum caeruleum, Hyd. fuscoindicum, Hyd. regium, Hyd. suaveolens, Omphalotus olivascens, Phaeolus schweinitzii, Phellodon niger, Poluozellus atrolazulinus, Sarcodon squamosus, Tapinella atromentosa, Xerocomellus zelleri

YELLOW--Areoboletus mirabilis, Boletus rex-veris, Cortinarius subcroceofolius, Cort. uliginosus, Gymnopilus ventricosus, Hapalopilus nidulans, Inonotus obliquus, Omphalotus olivascens, Phaeolus schweinitzii, Pycnoporellus alboluteus, Ramaria spp., Xerocomellus zelleri

email: tobi@periwinkleskies.net
phone: (973) 865-1966
HIC: 13VH05896800