Description

Mordants assist many natural dyes to bond with the wool, silk or other yarn or fabric being dyed, they can make a world of difference to the results and satisfaction you gain from dyeing. We recommend pre mordanting with Alum (Aluminium Potassium Sulphate) at a rate of approximately 10% of the dry weight of your fabric or yarn (wool or silk). Alum mordant baths can be cooled and poured into a plastic container for reuse at a later date and recharged with a lower amount of mordant than you would use with a new bath. After final use they can safely be poured out onto the garden. For more detailed instructions please email us.
Use Alum mordanted yarn or fabric thoroughly re-wetted with almost all of our British Folk Dyes and many of our Responsibly Sourced Imported Dyes
Iron mordant (Ferrous sulphate) can be added to the dyebaths of these dyes to make earthy olive, khaki and forest greens, greys, mauves and even close to black. Use a tiny amount (less than 2% of the dry weight of yarn or fabric) as this mordant can make wool brittle.
Soda Ash (Sodium carbonate) is a useful alkali for adjusting the pH of your dyebaths and for making a Woad or Indigo vat.
Citric Acid can be used to adjust pH in the other direction.
Sodium Hydrosulphite and Thiourea Dioxide are reducing agents for use when making a Woad or Indigo vat.
Universal Indicator papers are pH 1-14 and come in a book of 80.
Sensible precautions should be taken when using all chemicals  especially fine powders.