Enhance Dye Colors With Afterbaths

By Rebecca Burgess
Published on June 20, 2013
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Afterbaths are useful for expanding the range of dye colors from one dye vat.
Afterbaths are useful for expanding the range of dye colors from one dye vat.
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Taking wood ash from your fireplace or outdoor fire-pit is a way to make use of an available by-product that does not need to be synthetically produced.
Taking wood ash from your fireplace or outdoor fire-pit is a way to make use of an available by-product that does not need to be synthetically produced.
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Make beautiful natural dyes from plants with the help of “Harvesting Color.”
Make beautiful natural dyes from plants with the help of “Harvesting Color.”

Dye Afterbaths

Afterbaths are useful for expanding the range of dye colors from one dye vat. Yarns can be immersed in afterbaths directly, or soon after they are removed from the dye pot. Preparing the baths is simple, and the results are immediate.

Iron

Iron afterbaths are known to deepen or “dull” dye colors. In the case of staghorn sumac, the color shifts altogether, from chestnut brown to a deep charcoal.

Choose a bowl or pot large enough for your fibers to move freely around the vat. Fill your vessel with the iron solution (add extra water if needed so the fibers can move about freely). Heat the iron solution until it’s just beginning to steam a little (140-160°F). Add the dyed fibers and let sit in the afterbath for approximately 10 minutes. Remove and gently rinse your fibers in warm water after letting them cool for several minutes. Hang fibers to dry after rinsing.

Vinegar

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