As you may have guessed, my life is a bit mad. But I have missed dyeing silk. Part of it is I look at my clothes and think I could change that with dye. Freshen it. Make it something new. I have to admit for my clothes I think a lot about black walnut. A dark brown or black brown. Or is that brown black. I like forest tones.
I had a friend message me one night asking if it is true that you can make a blue or even turquoise with red cabbage if you add baking soda. Yes because it is about changing the pH of the water. I will tell you that I add too much baking soda the first time.
That is what you get when the water has a very base pH.
But I tried again. Add some alum to help mordant the cloth. Add one teaspoon of vinegar. Add a small (like a tablespoon) of woad.
This is what looked like wet out of the dye bath.
This is how it looked after being machined wash. I am thinking about picking up some of the aromatherapy laundry detergent I like which has a sea salt and see if it changes the colors when I wash it too. But this is a silver. A silver grey. But I had the piece of silk sitting in the sun before I took pictures of it and it definitely has a blue cast. I am thinking about what I can try next. I do have a piece of silk sitting in a mint dye bath. Currently, it is looking like swamp green. Okay, really a grey green but it is October!
Koda Bear is helping with these experiments. Which is pretty cool. More experiments for me soon. I do have a Hallows costume to make for this not so small bear. I am going to make him help!