Also control the temperature and ph (and add more alkali if necessary). Break up the fermented woad balls, add hot water & alkali (like lime, potash, washing soda or urine) until ph 8. 5-9 (or even 10). If the fermentation is too lively, calm it by adding some. Learn which plants work best, what lasts, and tips for natural dyeing at home. However, it obviously works on animal fibers like wool and silk (but i haven’t tried it yet). Most people recommend that you “air” the fiber for as long as you submerged it. The salt extraction method seems to be a new method to dye with fresh woad leaves. · discover how to dye fabric with plants using eco-friendly methods. Stale urine was often added to woad fermentation vats because it contains alkali and bacteria necessary to achieve a blue dye. Deep blue colors once came from indigo and woad before chemical dyes were produced. Tear or pound the fresh woad leaves. ( woad dye recipe adapted from marina skua) i dyed cotton fabric and linen yarn which produced a green color on both. To get the blue pigment from woad , it is important to use leaves from the plant’s first summer. Keep the vat at 50°c. You can also add madder, bran, honey, yeast, beer or weld to accelerate the ferment. I’ve read on the internet that you can also extract dye from fresh woad leaves using cold water and vinegar. Then dip the fabric in the vat for 1 hour (or up to 12 hours), air and let it dry, then redip it if necessary. You tear up the fresh woad leaves, sprinkle salt over the leaves and knead the woad leaves together with the fabric you want to dye. Stir the fermenting vat from time to time. However, even aft. Add almost boiling water and some alkali like lime, washing soda, potash, wood ash lye or fresh or stale urine. (woad dye recipe adapted from journal of archaeological science) ( woad dye recipe adapted from jenny dean’s wild colour) Through our experimentation and the instrumental aid of natural dye expert maddy bartsch, we gained a greater appreciation for the technicalities of woad dyeing, demonstrating the ways in which any type of dyeing with woad would have required a great deal of knowledge and acquired skill. But it didn’t work on vegetable fibers like cotton and linen. Woad has been used since the stone age and was the source of the body paint used by the picts. Leaves need to be fresh and should be used as soon as possible after harvesting as the pigment can deteriorate rapidly. It was also readily available and cheap. · learn how to make dye out of woad and create brilliant blue yarn and fabric. · this article will guide you through the traditional and modern methods of extracting dye from woad leaves, highlighting step-by-step processes, tips for best results, and the historical context that makes woad dyeing a fascinating craft. To make the urine vat, combine stale urine and pounded fresh woad leaves (or fermented woad balls) and keep the vat at 50°c. With woad , as with indigo, you can build up darker colors by repeatedly dipping your fiber in the vat. See full list on sewhistorically. com Harvest the leaves in late july and august, preferably during a warm spell.
