The Basic Recipe

For all of my dye trials, unless otherwise noted, I have followed this basic recipe:

1. Place the plant materials in a non-reactive metal pot and add enough hot water to nearly cover it all.
2. Put the pot on the burner and bring to a very low boil, then cover and simmer for one hour.
3. At the end of the hour, prewet your yarn in hot water and add to the dye pot.  If your materials have not boiled down enough to leave room in the pot, remove some or all of them. (almost all plant materials boil down significantly to leave room for the yarn.)
4. Simmer the pot with the yarn for another hour, then turn off the heat.
5. Leave the yarn sit in the pot overnight, or at least until the water is cold.
6. Rinse the yarn in warm water and let it dry.

Keep in mind that I've been dyeing only very small amounts of yarn.  Your results may differ if your ratio of plant material to yarn is vastly different.  My intent is to see how many different plants I can use and get color from, as well as how various mordants affect the final color.

I am using both wool and cotton yarn, and I have some that was premordanted in Alum and some that was premordanted in Iron.  Additionally, I have also used a non-mordanted wool control and in some cases non-mordanted cotton (up until I misplaced my skein of cotton yarn.  Oh the joys of a messy house!)