California colors natural dyes - 2014
Transcript of California colors natural dyes - 2014
© Project SOUND
California Colors: Experiences with Native
Plant Dyeing
Barbara Sattler and Connie Vadheim
South Coast Chapter – CNPS
October 6, 2014
Hopi dyes: cotton &
basketry fibers
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http://www.adobegallery.com/art/hopi-third-mesa-wicker-groom-s-plaque
Navajo dyes: wool
© Project SOUND http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/14211892_navajo-traditional-natural-dye-rug
http://www.navajoministries.org/news/NavajoDyeChart.htm
http://navajorug.com/blasts-from-my-past/
California Natural Dyes – the ‘lost’ traditions
are being ‘rediscovered’
Historical documents (a few)
Some traditions handed down – now being shared
Looking to other groups – California & Baja CA
Trying to duplicate artifacts
Creating sources of dye stuffs
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http://deborahsmall.wordpress.com/2009/11/22/gat
hering-deergrass/
http://blog.sfgate.com/inmarin/2009/10/01/last-opportunity-to-take-native-
american-skills-class/
The dyeing process: 4 main steps
1. Prepare the material to be colored
2. Prepare the dye-bath
3. Dye the material
4. Complete the after-dye processing
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Preparing the fiber/yarn: steps that help
the fiber take up the dye
Cleaning/ removing substances that prevent dyeing (grease; waxes; etc.) Washing
Stripping : heat, specific chemicals/substances, light exposure, other
Other physical preparations
Making the material more receptive to the dye, if needed
Wetting the material just prior to dyeing
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http://joyofhandspinning.com/how-to-
prepare-fiber-with-a-drum-carder/
http://stoneflake.net/explore/primitive-living/how-to/preparing-
yucca-fiber-from-dried-leaves/
What are mordants? Substances that improve uptake and/or retention of dye particles
From the French mordre, ‘to bite’. In the past, it was thought that a mordant helped the dye bite onto the fiber so that it would hold fast during washing.
Been used thousands of years
Two types: Chemical mordants; metallic salts
[alum; tin; iron, copper; chromium]
Plant mordants [tannins]
Not all dye/fiber combinations require a mordant
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http://www.chemical-engineering.co/2012/03/22/mordant/
Lemonadeberry leaves
Preparing the dye bath Collect the dye stuff Correct plant part
Time of year – often important
Prepare the dye stuff Chopping
Drying
Treating
Extract the dye
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http://sewserena.wordpress.com/2012/09/17/dyeing-yarn-and-fabric-with-rabbit-brush/
Rabbitbush: a natural dyer’s delight
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Abundant
Easy to collect, use; can be stored
Good, durable dye
Lovely carotinoid pigment colors (yellows/gold/greens)
Nicely scented; non-toxic
Yellow-flowered Asteraceae: good starting dyes
Common in gardens
Need annual pruning
Can use both flowers, foliage
Easy to collect, use; can be stored
Good, durable dye
Lovely carotinoid pigment colors (yellows/gold/greens)
Nicely scented ; non-toxic © Project SOUND
California goldenrod
the Goldenbushes
Ericameria species
Parts of plants used for dyes
Flowers/flower buds
Seedpods
Seeds
Leaves
Stems
Roots
Bark
Root bark
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Leaves can produce extraordinary colors
Island ironwood - Lyonothamnus floribundus
bark a traditional source of black dye
?? Can a dye be obtained from the fallen leaves
Challenge: leaves are tough & leathery
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Why must dyes be ‘extracted’?
Location in plants Roots
Bark
Wood
Other interior tissues
Location in the cells Vacuole – water-soluble
pigments
Chromoplasts
Cell wall
Other
Have to do something to destroy well walls to release the pigment
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Ways to create bright dyes (wool yarn)
1. Use a 10:1 ratio of dyestuff to wool (by weight)
2. Crush/cut dry thick, leathery leaves
3. Begin extraction with heat (20-30 minutes)
4. Let dye bath rest at least 2-3 days
5. Use multiple extractions to get multiple pigments
6. To dye, use 20-30 min heat + 2-4 days soak (or solar dyeing for longer)
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Taking advantage:
trimmings, etc.
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Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa)
Colorful inner bark
1-2” branches have thin outer bark
Needs time (year?) to separate bark easily
Stem and root bark pigments
Complex mix of ‘protective’ pigments:
Flavonoids – yellows
Anthocyanins – red/red-brown
Tannin – tan/brown (natural mordant)
Others
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Pines
Junipers
Willows/Poplars (Salix/Populus)
Cherries (Prunus)
Apples & pears
Releasing pigments from tough sources
Dry the bark
Cut, pound or pulverize it
Let it soak in water for a few days to several weeks
Boil it for several hours
Let the dye bath sit for days to weeks – stirred or not
Strain out the plant material and use
Apply heat Hot/boiling water
Steam
Microwave
Apply force Pound/grind
Let microorganisms do the work – fermentation
Or a combination of the above
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Tradition recipe for preparing
dye from a tree bark
Why tradition/natural dye traditions are
important They provide sources of eco-friendly
dyes for: Fabrics, leather, wood, etc.
Foods
Medicines and cosmetics
They provide important models for medicine & engineering
They help us understand plants better; focus our attention on both botany and uses of plants
They are part of our human heritage
They inspire modern artists & craftspeople
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http://www.sbnature.org/research/anthro/chumash/daily.htm#Baskets
Chumash baskets
http://www.navajoministries.org/news/NavajoDyeChart.htm