The blossoms from the black flowers – Alcaea rosea produce lavenders to purples. Changing the pH of the dye bath water provides greater colour variations including blue and green.
- Gather the blossoms from mid to late summer.
- The blossoms can be used fresh or dried.
- For fresh blossoms use a ratio of 2:1 blossom weight to 100g fibre
- For dried blossoms use 10g blossoms to 100g fibre
- Alum mordanted fibre.
- Cover the blossoms with water and leave to soak overnight.
- Simmer for 1 hour and strain.
- Add Glauber’s salt to the dyebath and mix well.
- Add pre-mordanted and wetted out fibre to the dye-pot
- Simmer for 1 hour.
- Turn off heat and leave to cool.
- Remove fibre and rinse.
- Dry in shade.
- Add the pre mordanted fibre and wetted out fibre to the dye pot and gently raise the temperature again and simmer for about 2 hours.
- Turn off the heat and allow to cool.
- Rinse.
- Dry in the shade.