Bio Dyes

Preparing the materia

Animal Fiber = Masari = 45% Wool + 10% Silk
Vegetable Fiber = linen

Each fiber cut into 8 equal pieces. Vegetable fiber is cooked in water to which 2 tbs of backing soda were added, it should boil for about 60 minutes.
In the meantime, the animal fiber soaks in plain room-tempered water (also 60 minutes).
Afterwards, you give both fibers a quick wash under cold running water.

Preparing the dying material

Two carrots and a beetroot (ca. 500g) have to be cut into small pieces. Both dyes are mixed with distilled water and cooked for about 40 minutes.

Carrot = 400ml distilled water
Beetroot = 300ml distilled water

Dyeing

After everything was cooked and cleaned four of each fiber ( 4 Animal fibers + 4 vegetable fibers)
were directly put into the beetroot/carrot dye. After 30 minutes of simmering we turned the heat off and let them sit overnight

Mordant

The other 8 ( 4 Animal fibers + 4 vegetable fibers) pieces we put into cooking water combined with a mordant which was in this case Acidum Tartaric Crest.
After cooking them for about 30 minutes we put them also into the beetroot/carrot dye and let them sit overnight as well.

Color modifiers

We chose Vinegar, Iron and Copper as modifiers. All fibers simmered for about 30 minutes in the modifier.

Without Mordant + modifiers

From left to right: Iron, Vinegar, without modifier bildschirmfoto_2017-10-24_um_10.09.36.jpg

Masari = 45% Wool + 10% Silk

Conclusion

I was very disappointed because the color turned out very pale or nearly invisible. I will choose other dyes for further tests in order to improve the intensity of the color outcome.