A heritage of colour : natural dyes past and present /
Dean, Jenny,author.
Inspired by the colours on textile fragments from the Iron Age and by the achievements of early dyers, the author describes some of the dyes and methods of the past and considers how they can be adapted for use by today's dyers. The book covers all the basics of natural dyeing and explains in detail how to experiment with local plants, wherever you may live, to produce a wide range of beautiful, rich colours on textile fibres. A Heritage of Colour also includes sections on dyeing with fungi, contact printing on cloth and dyeing multi-coloured fibres and fabrics. The emphasis throughout is on environmentally-friendly methods and on the thrill of personal discovery through practical experience.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Introduction -- Inspiration from the Past -- Environmental Considerations -- The Basics -- Equipment -- Selecting and Preparing Fibres for Dyeing -- Selecting, Harvesting and Preparing Dyes -- Mordants -- Extracting Dye Colour -- Application of Dyes -- Colour Modifiers -- Testing for Fastness -- Other Techniques -- Contact Dyeing on Fabric Using Plant Materials -- Dyeing with Frozen Flowers -- Over-Dyeing and Multi-coloured Skeins and Fabrics -- The Dye Plants -- The Dye Plants in Alphabetical Order of Latin Names -- Using Lichens for Dyeing -- Using Fungi for Dyeing -- A Brief Outline of Natural Dyes in Europe from the Iron Age to the Middle Ages -- Health and Safety Information -- Bibliography -- Suppliers -- Acknowledgements -- Index.
Inspired by the colours on textile fragments from the Iron Age and by the achievements of early dyers, the author describes some of the dyes and methods of the past and considers how they can be adapted for use by today's dyers. The book covers all the basics of natural dyeing and explains in detail how to experiment with local plants, wherever you may live, to produce a wide range of beautiful, rich colours on textile fibres. A Heritage of Colour also includes sections on dyeing with fungi, contact printing on cloth and dyeing multi-coloured fibres and fabrics. The emphasis throughout is on environmentally-friendly methods and on the thrill of personal discovery through practical experience.
Dyes and dyeing, Domestic.
Dye plants.