How to Make Mordants for Natural Dyes

By Rebecca Burgess
Published on June 19, 2013
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I find the best color results occur from letting the fibers sit for a week after coming out of the mordant bath before being dyed.
I find the best color results occur from letting the fibers sit for a week after coming out of the mordant bath before being dyed.
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Mordanted fibers can be left to sit for an indefinite period of time before they enter the dye vat.
Mordanted fibers can be left to sit for an indefinite period of time before they enter the dye vat.
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Most dyes will not hold color over time with a natural mordant with vinegar; the exception to that rule is pokeberry, which requires a vinegar mordant.
Most dyes will not hold color over time with a natural mordant with vinegar; the exception to that rule is pokeberry, which requires a vinegar mordant.
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If you live among oak trees, it’s easy to make your own tannin solution — the base ingredient is acorns.
If you live among oak trees, it’s easy to make your own tannin solution — the base ingredient is acorns.
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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.”

Preparing Mordants For Natural Dyes

Mordanting your fibers before they enter the dye vat is also known as premordanting — this process can be done immediately before dyeing the yarns, or mordanted fibers can be left to sit for an indefinite period of time before they enter the dye vat. I find the best color results occur from letting the fibers sit for a week after coming out of the mordant bath before being dyed.

Mordant Recipe for Protein Fibers

This mordant recipe is useful for incorporating both powdered alum and iron. Most recipes in this book call for alum. However, several recipes, including fennel, sheep sorrel, and French broom, recommend using iron to prepare your fibers before dyeing, because it has a tendency to create deep green colors from dye baths that might otherwise yield yellow. Powdered iron or ferrous sulfate can be purchased from dye supply stores. Another option for iron is to make a solution from rusty objects (see Rusty Object Solution).

1. Weigh the material to be dyed. Measure out your mordant by calculating 10 percent of the material weight (for instance, to dye 10 ounces of raw wool, you’ll need 1 ounce of mordant).

2. Fill a stainless steel or enamel vessel with water and place over high heat. Bring to a boil. Add powdered mordant and dissolve thoroughly.

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