Learn the Art of Natural Dyeing by Dueep Jyot Singh

Author:Dueep Jyot Singh
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: art, how to, textile, dyeing, natural dyeing, learn the art of natural dyeing
Publisher: Mendon Cottage Books

Natural cochineal dyes in the jungles of Peru.

Dyeing Silk Pale Pink

There was a time when white silk stockings, were dyed a fashionable pale pink by washing them first in warm water and white soap, squeezing and pressing rather than rubbing them. After that they were rinsed through 2 cold waters, and then stretched and dried. Before they were put in the dye, they were steeped in cold water and the water squeezed out. These stockings went into the dye wet.

To make the dye, you have to gather a large cup full of fresh blossoms and flowers of bergamot. Put them in a China bowl, press them down hard and pour on sufficient boiling water with which to cover them. Then cover the clothes tightly with the lid/plate so that they can get infused in the boiling liquid for about an hour or so.

When the liquid is colored pink, stranded, diluted with cold water to the desired pink shade, and add 5 – 6 drops of sulfuric acid- H2SO4- in ancient times, this was called oil of vitriol. Remember that sulfuric acid is highly corrosive, so put on your gloves when you are doing this particular process. This is going to set the color. Also remember that too much oil of vitriol is going to damage the fabric, so I would suggest the cider vinegar alternative, as given below.

Now gently take your stockings, one at a time, immerse them thoroughly and evenly in the dye and squeeze them through it. Afterwards, when all the liquid is squeezed out, open and stretch them and hang them up in the shade. When they are still a little damp, pin them, well stretched, upon an ironing cloth right side out, and rub them until they are quite dry with the end of a clean flannel, which you have rolled up into a tight roll.

You can also use a smooth rock/stone for this rubbing. This is going to give them an appearance of newness which they are not going to have if you press them in the normal manner. If you do not have oil of vitriol around, – well, I did not, you can also set the color with a teaspoonful of cider vinegar. It worked beautifully!

You can also color any white article which has been washed well in hot soap suds to make it perfectly clean. Then rinse it out in cold water, squeeze it, shake it out and then put it right in the infused dye which you have either prepared by infusing the bergamot flowers in boiling water or boiled the petals, until you have reached your favorite color tint. If you are boiling this, remember to strain the liquid well before you add any sort of cider vinegar/oil of vitriol.

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