Natural Olive green dye for linen?

[tombear]

Hi Folks
I'm thinking of making a long waistcoat (rather like Le Loup sports on hisWoodsrunner blog thingy) but in a lighter linen as I'd like it lighter and nore easily washable than one with a wool outer.

Being a big fat git the only pattern i can find big enough is the Reconstructing History one

http://www.reconstructinghistory.com/rh807-1740s-1760s-waistcoats.php?s=&c=22&d=189&q=2&p=193&w=21

I'd rather like the outer to be in my favourite colour, Olive so how would i naturally dye it that colour? The fabric i have is the stuff i made this shirt from

Which is a bit lighter in real life.

Any sugestions pllease?

ATB

Tom

 

[Bardster]

nettles, as used in wwII uniforms i believe

 

[Toddy]

Dye it a strong yellow, and at least 75% of British dye stuffs will give you yellow, and then overdye with a weakish indigo. Result, a good green

Linen needs tannined, mordanted onto that tannined fibre and then tannined again before it'll dye properly with most dyes.

Indigo doesn't need those stages, and yellow is ubiquitous from everything from the first flush from madder to onion skins. I think I'd use something like Weld though. Weld's a strong enough yellow to over dye blue into green or vice versa

cheers,
M

 

[tombear]

Cheers! Um, I think thats all doable if I take it slowly and check i'm doing stuff right. Not sure I'd know Weld if it bit me and the only place i've seen where you can buy it processed seamed expensive. I think I may have to fill the gaps in the heb garden with some other useful plants.... I just need enough to dye three yards.

Plenty to think over as aprt from missusing dylon this is all sniny and new to me.

ATB

Tom

 

[Partickpebbles]

Hi Folks
I'm thinking of making a long waistcoat (rather like Le Loup sports on hisWoodsrunner blog thingy) but in a lighter linen as I'd like it lighter and nore easily washable than one with a wool outer.

Being a big fat git the only pattern i can find big enough is the Reconstructing History one

http://www.reconstructinghistory.com/rh807-1740s-1760s-waistcoats.php?s=&c=22&d=189&q=2&p=193&w=21

I'd rather like the outer to be in my favourite colour, Olive so how would i naturally dye it that colour? The fabric i have is the stuff i made this shirt from

Which is a bit lighter in real life.

Any sugestions pllease?

ATB

Tom

Spoke to one of our Lab techs at my place (We sell industrial dyes!) you need a direct dye, but check how its finished first!

James

 

[Toddy]

If you can wait until the snow and ice clears and I can get into my dye shed I can send you weld. If you're happy to grow for yourself I have 16 seedlings in the greenhouse to overWinter and about 4oz of the seeds saved. The seeds are like dust. Most of the commercially available weld is poor quality stuff. Someone takes off the best bit, the flowering tops, and the rest of the plant is chopped up and dried. Basically if the dyestuff you buy doesn't have any seeds in it, then it's the leftovers

cheers,
M

 

[Toddy]

Patrickpebbles you sound an interesting fellow to know
There are all sorts of questions turn up about how to dye everything from tents to rucsacks and combats

cheers,
M

 

[tombear]

Cheers James!

Mary
I'm in absolutely no hurry so if you can spare us some weld and maybe a few seeds so i can plant some for the end of the year or whenever that would be great.

I've not even saved up my pin money for the pattern ($25!) or got the 20 odd buttons i'll need. Its probably going to be worth making a version from some cheep stuff using the sewing machine to test the fit etc.

At the mo I am driving myself to distraction doing a canvas shelter sheet, just got 45 more feet of back stitch to do, then the grommets

ATB

Tom

Just discovered a plastic petri dish like box of Saffron someone brought me back from Iran about 15 years back, I vaguely recollect that can be used to dye stuff?

 

[Toddy]

It can indeed but you need a lot of it.....better using cheaper turmeric

cheers,
M