Dock - Rumex crispus
Recipe for Dock Root

From: Carol Todd crowland@wildblue.net

COLORS
ALUM - BROWN
COPPER - DARK CHOCOLATE BROWN
TIN - BROWN
CHROME - MILK-CHOCOLATE BROWN

LIGHTFASTNESS
ALUM - EXCELLENT
COPPER - EXCELLENT
TIN - EXCELLENT
CHROME - EXCELLENT

All the mordants used were very lightfast. After 4 weeks of sunlight, the colors were as strong as they had been at the beginning of the test. However, all the colors darkened during testing, and a lovely red tone developed in the browns.

INGREDIENTS
6 1/2 oz. fresh root, dug up in February
1/2 oz. pre-mordanted wool yarn, soaked overnight before dyeing
Water to cover yarn and roots

METHOD
1) Wash off dirt from roots, cut out bad spots.
2) Cut roots into 1/2"-1" slices.
3) Put in pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer 30 minutes.
4) Cool overnight
5) Add pre-soaked, pre-mordanted yarn to dyepot. Add more water - about 1 quart.
6) Bring to a boil and simmer 50 minutes.
7) Cool in dyebath (4 hours).
8) Rinse.
9) Hang to dry in shade.
Ratio 13:1

* Inside of root had yellow and orange rings. Roots were an average of 1/2' to 1" in diameter.


Recipe for Dock Seeds

From: Carol Todd crowland@slonet.org

COLORS
ALUM - LIGHT BROWN
COPPER - MAUVE BROWN
TIN - ORANGE, ORANGE BROWN
CHROME - GOLDEN-GREEN BROWN

LIGHTFASTNESS
ALUM - EXCELLENT
COPPER - EXCELLENT
TIN - GOOD (Color changed to tan during testing for lightfastness)
CHROME - EXCELLENT

INGREDIENTS
12 oz. dried red-brown seeds, stripped from stalks, gathered 7/23
3 oz. mordanted wool
Water to cover

METHOD
1) Put dried seeds and yarn into pot. Add water to cover and soak overnight.
2) Bring to a boil (30 minutes) and then simmer 1 hour longer.
3) Cool overnight in dyebath..
4) Rinse.
5) Hang to dry in shade.
Ratio 4:1


Recipe for Dock Leaves

From Kate - "OK Studios" okstudios@tinet.ie

I make a dye from dock using old iron rubbish in a dustbin full of water. As for concentration of iron a bit of guess work! With dock I get a bottle green. The best colour comes from a July collection of leaves 2:1 ratio.


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