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Dyeing
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Dye:-
to stain; to give a new colour
to; to colour, to tinge, |
| Natural dyes are derived mostly from plant
sources - leaves, flowers, fruits, barks or heartwood chips - though we
can also use some insects (e.g. Cochineal), soil pigments. Many
require a mordant to make them stick to the fibre. |
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Examples of well known dye plants
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Madder - roots used for red
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Weld - for yellow |
Woad leaves below
or Indigo
for blue
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| Mordants
are metal salts that affect the colour of a dye and help the dye to
bind to the surface of the fibre. They are usually acid salts and
poisonous requiring careful handling and disposal. |
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 Examples of various colours obtained with Natural
Dyes and various
mordants, on wool, silk and nylon |
 As it is difficult
to repeat the same effect you get with natural dyes it is a good idea
to keep careful records of colours obtained and the process used
to get them. |
 Here is an example
of a test for light fastness where the dyed wool is exposed to sunlight
on a windowsill. |
Synthetic Dyes
produce repeatable results and are easy to use. They also have the
advantage that they are often more environmentally friendly to use .
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The
Hampshire Guild of 
