dyeing cotton canvas tarp HELP

[Toddy]

Nettles are quite effective as a dye. They were used for some military cloth during the second world war

They were, but it was the nettle fibre that was used instead of linen or hemp. Both linen and hemp are 'crops' and need arable land while the nettles will grow anywhere that is nitrogen rich, like the back end of a byre where the run off goes. Nettle fibre is softer, shorter and whiter than flax but the nettle doesn't dye itself without a tannin intervention.

I think to dye this size of cotton effectively would need an oil drum sized vat for soaking, heating, etc.,

cheers,
Toddy

 

[xylaria]

I think to dye this size of cotton effectively would need an oil drum sized vat for soaking, heating, etc.,

cheers,
Toddy

Could you lay the cloth out and rub the walnut husks, dandilions roots, elder and hawthorn fruits and whatever else leaves an unmordanted stain straight onto the fabric, or do you recon it would look like a dyers dustsheet?

persuming it is not going to shoved in a washing maching regulary wouldn't grass stain be fixed enough for a tarp.

 

[Toddy]

Might do, might do....
This is kind of what I was suggesting with the paint type dyes.
Basically make up the dye liquor, make sure it's a tannin rich one, add some alum, iron or copper mordant and make it into a paste using a thickening agent and just paint it onto the damp tarp.
Japanese textiles were (and very expensive ones still are) done a bit like this, but they are laid aside for weeks and months to allow the dyes to develop fully.
I think canvas laid out on grass and 'painted' might be a very good idea indeed.......in fact I feel the need to play coming on

cheers,
M

 

[Pignut]

Well the tarp is here (It is a painters dust sheet) can get a barrel for dying it in, will nettle do it if I boil it up, also Mordant?

Please help am more confused then I was to start with!

I will probably be treating the tarp with waterproofing agent afterwards

HEEELLLLLLLP!

 

[sandsnakes]

Burning question, does it contain any synthetic? the cotton painters sheets I have come across all had a nylon or polyester content.

Sandsnakes

 

[Pignut]

Burning question, does it contain any synthetic? the cotton painters sheets I have come across all had a nylon or polyester content.

Sandsnakes

Seems to be 100% cotton There are no labels but feels like cotton canvas

Non waterproof and absorbant according to the cover

 

[sandsnakes]

But then again.
Go to a a coffe shop and ask for their days collection of coffee grouts. Starbucks or similar will give you a sack or two.

Wash tarp first to clear out any dressings, dry.

Place tarp in drum (Indian takeaway ask for one of there big used veg oil containers , cut off top) .

Throw in tarp, grouts and water and boil for a couple of hours.

Do not stint on the grouts, more grouts the more colour you get, you will need a lot because they have been used to make coffee.

Keep stiring with a stick.

Decant solution

Boil in salt water about a pound or invite a few friends around with a few cans of larger and urinate in drum, as much as can be generated. Old urine is best do a few days peeing in a covered bucket before hand.

Boil for about 30 mins (smells a lot)

Dry out of the sun.

When dry (the evaporation will remove most of the smell) wash in plain water.

Then water proof it.



You will get what you get in the sense of colour, dyeing is both an art and science. Dyers were so higly saught after in ancient times they had guilds.

But the above will give you something, more grouts you use the more colour you get.


Sandsnakes

See you at the moot.

 

[Pignut]

The tarp came with a small sample attached so it is soaking in a cup of tea as we speak see waht it does!

 

[Pignut]

well an hr in the tea did this the dark square is sitting on the origional stuff

the color has penetrated the thread so seems to have worked!

now my qustion do i need a mordant with tea if i am going to waterproof

cheers

 

[Toddy]

Now that's good.
Looks like the tannin is taking well.
Tannin doesn't need a mordant, so it looks like your tarp will take enough colour from tea alone.
It ought not need any other fixative.
If once your've rinse it clean it seems a bit light, just dye it again until you get a good depth of colour.

Good luck on the waterproofing too.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Pignut]

just rinsed it in boiling water and cold water, it did lighten up a little but not enough to worry me!

Sounds ominous on the waterproofing!

Regards

 

[Pignut]

Does it matter if the dye solution is warm or cold?

 

[Toddy]

Does it matter if the dye solution is warm or cold?

Hot is good, but cold and time work just as well. Basically every +10oC halves the time of a reaction, but if you lett the cloth sit in the dye liquor a it longer it will work just as well.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Pignut]

Hot is good, but cold and time work just as well. Basically every +10oC halves the time of a reaction, but if you lett the cloth sit in the dye liquor a it longer it will work just as well.

cheers,
Toddy

thanks for that

 

[Pignut]

Well here we go!

The leatehr tabs are now all sewn on and we are now dying!

The brew!

The tarp going in

And after 30 seconds!

Regards

 

[jackmcmanus21]

looks good pignut

 

[andy_e]

That is looking really nice there Pignut.

 

[Pignut]

Will this get darker the longer I leave it?

 

[Toddy]

Well, it ought to.
However, you might find though that even though there's colour left in the dye liquor the good stuff has already been taken up by the fabric.
I think I'd haul it out, give it a rinse and brew up another dye bath if you want a deeper colour.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Pignut]

Was one step ahead there!

Well here it is straight out of the dye and ready to rinse

Rinsed washed out and hung to dry, I am pleased with the color so I will call that it and waterproof it over the weekend!

It was washed until no more color was liberated it does not seem to have lost that much!

oh and if you ever wondered what 700! tea bags looked like!