ADDING THICKENER TO NATURAL DYES

THICKENER
When dyes are directly applied to fabric a thickener should be mixed into the dyes to keep them from wicking. Sodium alginate a gum derived from seaweed is generally used for this purpose.

The type of sodium alginate used depends on the fabric.

Type H is a high viscosity, low solids content thickener. This type produces a very thick solution from a small amount of alginate, and is usually used for cottons and heavier fabrics.

Type L is a low viscosity, high solids content thickener. This type requires more alginate to produce a thick solution, Type L is used when high definition is needed. It easily rinses out of light weight fine fabrics such as voile, chiffon, organdy, habotai and other light weight silks. 

For cottons or medium weight fabrics

4 tsp (18 Grams) sodium alginate Type H

1 liter water

For silks or light weight fabrics

10 tsp (40 grams) sodium alginate type L

1 liter water

Slowly sprinkle sodium alginate over the water and mix in a blender until smooth. Let the mixture stand for at least 1 hour to thicken. Stir again. The thickened alginate can be stored in the refrigerator. This will make a stock solution that can be added to the dyes when necessary. The alginate can be thinned with water depending on the technique used.*
Dyes that will be sprayed through an air brush should be very thin. Dyes that will be painted should have a medium consistency. Dyes that will be screen printed must be fairly thick. If the alginate is too heavy it will not mix well with the dye. 
Add 10% to 50% sodium alginate to the dye. Before adding the alginate some thought must be given to the type of fabric, dyestuff used, dye process, and how many applications of dye will be used. Too much alginate will act as a resist and the fabric will not absorb all the dye.

Logwood: For very thin fabric add 20% alginate to the dye.

For very heavy fabric use 25% to 30%.
Catechu: 15% alginate
Sappan wood, fustic, apple bark, peach bark: 10% alginate

If there are large color areas, then 20% alginate is used. If many applications of color will be applied then lower the amount of alginate added to the dye. After the 5th application use no more sodium alginate. Too much sodium alginate will not allow for any absorption of color or mordant.

Sodium alginate can also added to the mordant.

Alum: 0.5%

Iron: 20%

Copper 0.5%: 10% or Copper 2%: 15%

Tin: 10%

   Chrome: 15%

EXTRACTING THE DYE FOR KUSAKI-ZOME

DYE MATERIAL~EXTRACTION WATER BOIL TO STOCK SOLUTION

100 grams 1st...................700 cc..........300 cc. .....Total

of dried or

fresh dye 2nd.................700 cc...........300 cc. ..... 900 cc

material.

3rd..................700 cc...........300cc.

First Extraction

Mix the dye material with 700 cc. hot water. Boil until 300 cc. of the liquid remains. This will take about 20 minutes. Strain and save the liquid.

Second Extraction

Return the same dye material to the pot and add another 700 cc. of hot water. Boil until 300 cc. of the liquid remains. Strain and save the liquid. Return the dye material to the pot and add the hot water. Repeat these series of extractions until all of the color is removed from the dye material.

Leaves, grasses and flowers may only need 1 to 3 extractions. Flowers such as marigolds that are rich in color may be boiled 4-6 times. Bark may need 4-6, leaves 2 extractions, and wood 8-10 extractions.

Roots, wood and bark can be softened by soaking overnight. To extract the greatest amount of dye, the dye material may be boiled up to 10 times or more. The process may be repeated as long as the material yields color. To extract more of the dye, after the first or possibly the second extraction, the harder substances may be softened sufficiently to be mashed, ground in a blender, pounded with a hammer or with a mortar and pestle.

The dye from the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd extraction should be kept together. The 4th, 5th and 6th should be kept together and so on. After repeated extractions, the liquid will gradually become lighter and lighter as as more and more of the dye is removed. Sometimes the liquid from the second boil will yield the darkest extract. This is because the dyestuffs will have softened during the first boil.

The liquid from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd extraction will be used for the darkest color. The 4th, 5th, and 6th liquid for the medium color and the subsequent extractions for the lighter colors.

The extraction process will make a stock solution that can be used for both immersion and direct dyeing.

SAPPAN WOOD AND MADDER

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DYE EXTRACTION WATER BOIL TO TOTAL STOCK SOLUTION

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Sappan wood 1st......1500 cc.......400 cc.

or

Madder 2nd.....1500 cc........400 cc. to 1200 cc ..400cc

300 grams

3rd......1500 cc........400 cc.

After combining the liquids from the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd extraction. Add the total amount of liquid (1200 cc.) to a pot and reduce the liquid again by boiling to 400 cc. This will make a very concentrated stock solution.

TANNIN

Madder, sappan wood, and Brazil wood have similar coloring compounds. After treating the fabric with mordant, these dyes on cotton require the application of tannin to the fabric . Although cotton is in general very inert towards solutions of organic acids, it appears to possess considerable affinity for tannic acid, and will absorb it readily from its solutions.

If these dyes are combined with a high tannin bearing dye to make a new color, then tannin need not be used. Myroballan, sumac, gall, and fustic have high concentrations of tannin. In the mordanting of cotton for dyeing, 1 pound of pure tannic acid is equivalent to about 1 1/2 to 2 pound of gall-nuts, or 5 to 6 pounds of sumac leaves.

Tannic acid..........2% (1 gram)

Water.....................300 cc

As tannic acid is liable to suffer decomposition at the boil, giving rise to a brown color, it is not recommended to boil the mordant bath as the shade eventually obtained will be dulled. The tannin from this bath is not held on the fiber in an insoluble state. When the fiber is placed back into the dye some of the tannic acid passes back into the dye bath causing some loss of color. It is necessary to fix the tannin on the fiber by treating it again with the mordant.

INSECTS-Cochineal and lac

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DYE EXTRACTION WATER BOIL FOR 1/2 HOUR

MATERIAL

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100gm.Cochineal 1st.......500 cc...2 grams soda ash...400 cc.

total stock solution 800cc

2nd......600 cc..................-0-.........400 cc.

Strain after each boiling, combine the two liquids for a total of 800cc.

To the 800 cc of remaining dye add 4 cc acetic acid and 20 to 50% phenol (as a preservative).

Do not add sodium alginate to cochineal if this dye will be used for direct application.

The addition of the soda ash to the cochineal will make a strong thick color. Finally strain the dye through a bag made of synthetic fabric to remove the last particles and sediment.

THE COLORS OF KUSAKI-ZOME

Kusaki-zome is Japanese for grass and tree dyes.

These are the various colors of kusaki-zome dyed on silk, kozo paper, wool fabric and yarn . These are some of the dye samples that I made in Japan.

I made a stencil and used rice paste as a resist to show the original fabric color. Some of the dye stuffs are pomegranite, lac, red cabbage, fustic, walnut, cochineal, peach leaves, logwood, and madder to name a few.


The samples show the different colors
that can be achieved using different mordants.


































Kozo paper