Dying of Wool Flannel

[Mofedshirker]

Some pards and I are going to be making some red wool flannel overshirts for this summer's Bleeding Kansas however, we have run into a problem. We have found a source for undyed wool flannel and for madder root but, we don't know what mordant to use to get it to a good, bright red. We are trying to avoid pinks, yellows, oranges, and purples. Any hints or suggestions? I know many people on here are experienced in this area (Terre Lawson help us! LOL) and figured someone could help.

Thanks much,
Steve Shepherd

[Spinster]

Re: Dying of Wool Flannel

Y'all boys stop killing (dying) the wool flannel and start "dyeing" it. :D

I'll post the official madder on dye receipt from an 1830s book in the next few days, as well as modern equivalents. Its too pretty a day to spend on the box--I'm firing up dyepots this afternoon.

In the meantime, y'all start looking for a REALLY big pot--I'm talking footed bathtub size here gentlemen........

[markmason]

Re: Dying of Wool Flannel

Shoooting from the hip here...experienced with indigo and never tried red, though I would like to soon. I believe a little Alum mordant will bring out the reds. But, you are correct in one thing, using madder root alone will give you nice pink colors. Here is some information from a 1881 Household Cyclopedia.

http://www.publicbookshelf.com/public_html/The_Household_Cyclopedia_of_General_Information/naturalre_cbc.html

[cwbelle]

Re: Dying of Wool Flannel

Mrs. Lawson,
Sorry to bring up an old thread but I was wondering if you could please post that reciept from the 1830's for dyeing with madder root? I'm getting ready to try some small batches with wool yarn that I've spun over the winter (and would prefer if they came out at least slightly resembling a red:).

Thank you!

[Spinster]

Re: Madder on Woollen

Mrs. Lawson,
Sorry to bring up an old thread but I was wondering if you could please post that reciept from the 1830's for dyeing with madder root? I'm getting ready to try some small batches with wool yarn that I've spun over the winter (and would prefer if they came out at least slightly resembling a red:).

Thank you!

First, the receipt, then the commentary:


From "The Domestic Manufacturer's Assistant and Family Directory in the Arts of Weaving and Dyeing: Comprehending A Plain System of Directions, Applying to Those Arts and Other Branches Nearly Connected With Them in the Manufacture of Cotton And Woollen Goods; Including Many Useful Tables and Drafts, In Calculating and Forming Various Kinds and Patterns of Goods Designed for the Improvement of Domestic Manufacturers " J and R Bronson, Utica, 1817

Madder Red on Woollen:

To dye 1 pound of yarn or flannel it will require the following articles:
3 ounces allum
1 ounce cream of tartar
8 ounces madder
1/2 an ounce of stone lime
Use the same proportion to dye any number of pounds.

1. Prepare a brass or copper kettle with about five gallons of water; bring the liquor to a scalding heat, then add 3 ounces of alum that is pounded, and one ounce cream of tartar; then bring the liquor to a boil and put in the woolen and boil it for 2 hours. It is then taken out aired and rinsed, and the liquor emptied away.

2. Now prepare the kettle with a much water and before, and add to it 8 ounces of good madder, which should be broken up fine and well mixed in the water before you put in the woolen. When you have warmed the dye as hot as you can bear the hand in it; then enter the woolen and let it remain in the dye for one hour, during which time the dye must not boil, but only remain at scalding heat, observing to stir about the woolen constantly while in the dye.

3. When the woollen has been in 1 hour, then bring the dye to a boil for 5 minutes. The woolen is then to be taken out aired and rinsed.

4. Add to the dye half a pint of clear lime water, which is made by slacking about half and ounce of lime to powder; then add water to it and when settled pour the clear part into the dye and mix it well. Now in your woolen, and stir it about for ten minutes, the dye only being at scalding heat. It is then to be taken out and rinsed immediately.

N. B. Should you wish the red to be very bright, add about a quarter of an ounce or nearly ½ tablespoon of the aqua fortis composition at the time of putting in the madder

[Spinster]

Re: Dying of Wool Flannel

"3 ounces allum"--look closely at your source for alum--potassium alum is better on wool that aluminum acetate. Do not use an agricultural grade, it is likely contaminated with iron and will "sadden" (darken) your wool

"1 ounce cream of tartar"--some period receipts differentiate between that made from a precipitate of red grapes and that made from white grapes, and recommends the red grape for this process.

"Prepare a brass or copper kettle"--this is important. Don't use an iron or aluminum kettle. In the absence of brass or copper, fall back on stainless steel, or an enameled kettle with no dings or rust spots. Iron rust will ruin the process

"with about five gallons of water"--your water should have a balanced PH, and no abnormal iron content. If using city water, allow to stand in open container for 24 hours to evaporate any added chlorine. If you have a friend in the college's chemistry department, have them run you off about 10 gallons of distilled water.

"bring the liquor to a scalding heat, then add 3 ounces of alum that is pounded, and one ounce cream of tartar; then bring the liquor to a boil and put in the woolen and boil it for 2 hours. It is then taken out aired and rinsed, and the liquor emptied away.". ---This is the mordant bath--its assumed you've already properly scoured the yarn prior to mordanting.

"Now prepare the kettle with a much water and before, and add to it 8 ounces of good madder, which should be broken up fine" --pay the extra price to get this stuff in sawdust form. If its still in little sticks, pound it up with a hammer and soak it for several days.

" When you have warmed the dye as hot as you can bear the hand in it"--Yep, they mean it, and no hotter than that.

"during which time the dye must not boil, but only remain at scalding heat, observing to stir about the woolen constantly while in the dye" THEY REALLY MEAN THIS PART. DON'T LET IT BOIL, AND KEEP STIRING.

"When the woollen has been in 1 hour, then bring the dye to a boil for 5 minutes" No more than that time on the boil. More is NOT better. Boiling kills the red dye.

"Add to the dye half a pint of clear lime water"--you'll see a color change here almost instantly.

[cwbelle]

Re: Dying of Wool Flannel

Thank you so much! Exactly what I've been looking for...
Sincerely,

[Spinster]

Re: And another thing

Computer got cranky yesterday before I got to this part:

"N. B. Should you wish the red to be very bright, add about a quarter of an ounce or nearly ½ tablespoon of the aqua fortis composition at the time of putting in the madder"

"Aqua Fortis composition" requires about 3 pages of closely typed notes, and a basic knowledge of chemistry. If you are really intent on RED, then buy the book as listed above ISBN 0-486-23440-1. Dover reprinted it about 1977 with editing and notes by Rita Adrosko. Still commonly available at under $10, and in addition to dye receipts, it has extensive info on weaving drafts.

And now, for a later receipt:

Instructions for Washing Wool and Woolen Yarns, Adapted to the Use of the Farmers and Planters of the Confederate States, Wynne, 1864

For 25 pounds of woollen yarn, put 6 pounds of Alum and 1/1/2 pounds of Red Tartar(Argol) in a copper or brass kettle of 40 gallons, in which boil in the yarn for 3 hours, taking it out to air occassionally. Empty the vopper and put in 8 pounds of Madder, heat to such a degree that the hand can barely be held in it, and dye until the desired color is obtain, which will require three or four hours.

"Red Tartar" is creme of tartar that is made from red grapes. I'm clueless as to how one would obtain some through normal commercial channels--certainly any labels on the stuff I've seen make no differintiation as to the type of grapes used.

I've been working on a good strong red for several years now, based on a quiet and gentlemanly request from Joe Bonadero for me to reproduce a particular hat, with only marginal sucess.

I do note that I seem to have varying sucess with these sorts of receipts---my red is very bad to go towards purple when using madder or cochineal as a source. And its a moveable red---looks fine coming out of the pot, looks a bit less fine after the rinse, and after it hangs in my well-shaded upper hall to dry, it gets a distinct undercolor of Barney--and there are enough Barney coats running around events, I sure don't need to make more.

I've gotten a good strong maroon with brazilwood and copper sulfate though. Consistent, and it holds---and like the madder, will go directly to brown if you let the pot boil......