Excerpt from Home Dyeing With Natural Dyes The fastness or permanence Of a dye IS important, but no dye is absolutely fast under all conditions. It may be fast to light, or to perspiration, or to washing, but not fast to all three. Furthermore, a dye may be fast on one fiber and not on another; or it may be fast when dyed by one method and not fast when dyed by another. Of all the textile fibers, wool can be dyed most easily, and the resulting colors change the least. It combines with practically all dyes, probably forming a chemical union with them. Cotton does not combine with dyes so well, and fast colors are produced on it only by complicated processes. The need for a particular kind Of fastness depends on the nature of the color change and the use to be made Of the dyed fabric. For example, a fabric dyed brown with tree bark may darken on exposure to light. If used in a hooked rug this color change might be satis factory but on the other hand, in window draperies it would soon become Objectionable. TO make sure that the recipes given on pages 8 to 35 produce colors permanent enough to be useful for most purposes, the dyed fabrics were tested for their fastness _to light and to washing by the following methods. The results are included in the dye recipes. For the light test, samples Of the dyed fabrics were cut and exposed for 40 hours to the rays Of a carbon arc lamp. Throughout the test period half Of each piece was shielded from the light while the rays Of the lamp shone directly on the other half.' Then the two parts were compared and the fastness to light rated as follows: Good - no appreciable change Of color; fair - appreciable but not Objectionable change Of color; poor - Objectionable change Of color. Though these light tests were run in a standard fading apparatus, the same method can be followed at home by exposing samples to the sunlight. Cut 2 - inch square openings in each Of two pieces Of heavy cardboard, fasten a piece Of the dyed cloth to one with gummed paper and cover with the other piece Of cardboard so that the openings correspond. It is important that the light come through the fabric. Then place this1 sample in its frame out Of doors in the direct sunlight and tilted towards the sun. After a few days remove and compare the section exposed to the sun with the covered portion. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

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This long-awaited guide serves as a tool to explain the general principles of natural dyeing, and to help dyers to become more accomplished at their craft through an increased understanding of the process. Photos of more than 450 samples demonstrate the results of actual dye tests, and detailed information covers every aspect of natural dyeing including theory, fibers, mordants, dyes, printing, organic indigo vats, finishing, and the evaluation of dye fastness. Special techniques of printing and discharging indigo are featured as well. The book is intended for dyers and printers who wish to more completely understand the "why" and the "how," while ensuring safe and sustainable practices. Written by a textile engineer and chemist (Boutrup) and a textile artist and practitioner (Ellis), its detailed and tested recipes for every process, including charts and comparisons, make it the ideal resource for dyers with all levels of experience.

All the information ever needed to extract dyestuffs from common trees, flowers, lichens, and weeds to create beautifully dyed materials. The heart of the book is 52 recipes for dyes made from natural, easily obtained dyestuffs.

Natural Dyeing reveals the endless possibilities of plant-based dyes and how they will inspire you for years to come. Natural Dyeing explores the versatility of plant-based dyes, from understanding, choosing and preparing your fibre for dyeing to foraging for your dyes and the different dyeing methods used. You can then put your skills to the test with eight projects, including a Silk-dyed Bandana, Furoshiki-inspired bag and a Korean-style Cloth used to wrap gifts. Natural Dyeing inspires you to experiment with natural dyes to give old garments a new lease of life, to create beautiful tablecloths and napkins from offcuts of linen and to inject a pop of colour into your cushions.

The publication reports the results of tests on about 65 natural dye materials when used for dyeing cotton and wool cloth. Most of the dyes studied are of vegetable origin. In fact the terms natural and vegetable dyes are often used interchangeably though a few, such as cochineal, are of animal origin and iron buff and some others are developed from mineral pigments.