HOW TO USE ALUM TO MORDANT TEXTILE FOR NATURAL DYE | ORGANIC COLOR | COTTON LINEN HEMP SILK WOOL

[@gracebeckwith1256]

Most informative video on dyeing. Thank you!🏆

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

You are very welcome, Grace! So wonderful to hear it is helpful 🌼

[@marijkeschellenbach2680]

Best explanation for a newby!

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Yay - so happy it helped! You are going to love natural dyeing 🤎

[@amanifayez4682]

Thank you Margaret. Very informative for beginners like me 😍 I'm starting my way to dyeing with natural colors. For my first piece, I used alum as a mordant. Then I dyed with turmeric and then printed with different roses and leaves. Now I'm wondering how to fix these colors on the linen? Please make a video on fixative materials..

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

You are so welcome, Amani! You are going to love natural dyeing 💚

[@rosyaguilar5030]

hi!!! how did you dyed with turmeric?

[@aliceherrera3850]

Thank you for your helpful video. Can you clarify how we calculate the right amount of Alum?

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Hi Alice - you are most welcome! In this video, I'm using a ratio of 15% alum to the weight of fiber (W.O.F.). Since the weight of the dry fiber is 173 grams, I multiple 173 x 0.15 (15%) which is approximately 26 grams. This means I need 26 grams of alum to be at 15% of the WOF. You could measure this on a scale which is most accurate, but I decided to use tablespoons instead. Two tablespoons of alum is approximately 25g, so this was an easy way to measure it. Please note, the exact ratio of alum is not critical and can range from 10-20%. I chose 15% as a great middle ground option 😊 Hope this explanation helps!

[@rogerbengtson321]

Thank you Margaret, very specific information. Before watching your video I watch a few other ones about dying fabrics, al of them only mention salt,directly mixed with the dye, they never said anything about the Mordant process, so thank you very much. I got the very thin good plain white cotton fabric and will try the dye process; very glad you told me the professional way to mordant the fabrics

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

You are most welcome, Roger. Yes, you will find many tutorials suggesting salt, and perhaps it helps in some instances or has a different purpose, but it is not typically recommended as a standard mordant. There are so many methods out there, it can be confusing, and I understand offering options that are easily accessible to encourage people to try natural dyeing. I'm even doing that in this video: for example, pickling alum is a great place to start, but if you want to dive deeper, you should consider alum acetate for cotton which is a more refined version of this mordant. However, you have to buy that from a specialty shop, not in your grocery store. Also, washing your fiber is super important before dyeing, so I show this step in a washing machine because it's easy. However, scouring is the deeper clean process that is highly recommended. I have not made a video yet on scouring, but it is something to consider if you get hooked and want to take natural dyeing even further. Best of luck!

[@rogerbengtson321]

@@MargaretByrdColorQuest thank so much, for answering, in my town I have a very good specialty store to get the alum acetate. I am in vacation in Puerto Vallarta, where I bought 16 yards of a very thin flexible cotton, that I think is a dobby cotton, the lady told me is a trouser cotton. I can’t wait to go back home in Palm Springs, using your guidance dyeing this cottons and than sewing it in shirts for me and my husband. Here in PV the dyed made shirts cust $150 dollars, I am hopping I can recreate their dye quality, thanks to you. You are so lovely and knowledgeable, I am glad I found your tutorials👍👍👍👍🥰🥰

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

@@rogerbengtson321 Oooh, I love Puerto Vallarta! How lovely that you can spend some time there 🌼 Thank you for the very kind words - I'm happy that my videos are helpful. Who knows, maybe if all goes well, you can start selling your hand dyed shirts in PV 😉 It is going to be very important for to wash/scour your cotton before you do any mordant/dyeing, so don't forget this important step. I had trouble finding 100% cotton in the fabric stores when I was in Oaxaca, but hopefully you did. It makes for much easier dyeing 💚

[@mind.body.creative]

Hello Margaret, I am using an oakgall gall nut tannin bath before using aluminium acetate for my cellulose fabric. The tannin, however is staining my fabric to brown. Can I only use alluminim acetate and will using only aluminium acetate still hold the dye well to the fabric?

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Great question and the answer is yes! Aluminum acetate is great on its own with cellulose fibers as it is more refined than aluminum potassium sulfate (commonly referred to as alum). It is more expensive too, so a tannin + alum combination is a strong alternative, but as you noted, it will create a more beige tone on your fiber due to the tannin.

[@christophvogler4545]

Trying to dye veg tan leather hope I find some hints about mordants 🙂

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Sounds really cool, Christoph. I've never heard of that, but sounds 'fiber' like and is sure to respond at some level to a mordant. Check out the Mordant Playlist if you have time as there are several options to choose from and you might find one that works best for the material you are working with. Best of luck!

[@Loosewheel1000]

Mordant in French means bitting, so makes sense if you think of it as the colors is biting in the fibres.

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Yes, I love this French reference so much - it describes what is happening perfectly!

[@justgrowpeaceoff]

I feel like I’ve found treasure here! Thank you so much! Will be back for more research 💜☮️Please take care and wish me luck! 🌱🌻

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

How awesome to hear - welcome to Color Quest! Best of luck - you got this 🌼

[@Toondee1]

Thank you for sharing.

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

My pleasure! Thanks for joining us here at Color Quest 🌼

[@taeesaskripchak3067]

Thanks a lot! I really loved that you are explaining everything very slow 🙏 h

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

You are most welcome! I'm happy that the video is helpful 💚

[@erikagomi7521]

Hey Margaret! Might be a silly question, but could I use a stainless steel pot that I usually use to cook in for an alum mordant bath? It will be safe to use for cooking after washing and all that? Thank you :) you seem like such a sweet person and appreciate you educating us!

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Hi Erika - thanks for joining us at Color Quest and your sweet words! Instead of using your kitchen cookware, you can use alum as a 'cold soak' process in something like a bucket. All you need to do is dissolve the alum in hot water and add it to a bucket of luke warm water that will easily accommodate your fiber so it can move around in the bath. Soak your fiber in this solution for 24+ hours and you will still get the same mordant benefit. Keeps you and your cookware safe that way 😉

[@thea8278]

@@MargaretByrdColorQuest if alum and cream of tartar are used in food, would it not be safe to use our cook pot?

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

@@thea8278 It is truly a personal choice if you want to do this, but it is always best practices to keep your dye utensils separate from those used for cooking. Maybe you could buy a used pot at a thrift store? This is how I have collected most of my dye tools and it is a cheaper way to outfit your studio. Although you are correct that these mordants are typically food grade quality, the same is not true of your fibers, for example 😊

[@AlpacaMade]

I appreciate the information presented in process format, very much. It has been very valuable to me as an handmade paper pulp dyer who uses cotton fiber in pulp. 😊👍

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

You are most welcome - so happy to have you join us at Color Quest 🌼 I've never made handmade paper, but it seems like such an amazing way to work with fiber. Hope natural colors will work well for you!

[@rosyaguilar5030]

hi!! I'm new totally new never done one dyeing want to start do not know how to. I think the first stone on the rode is to figure out how much aluminum, sodium acetate etc. according with the Oz of fabric.

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Hi Rosy - welcome to Color Quest and to natural dyeing! Using a mordant on your textile is going to give you the best results with natural color. Weigh your fiber when it is dry. This will help you calculate how much mordant (alum, tannin, soy milk) you need to use when you pre-treat your textile. Follow the recipe ratio on this video if you use alum as your mordant. I have other videos on soy milk and tannin (pomegranate skin) on this channel too. Best of luck!

[@AmikAja-p1c]

I see your video now...because the ecoprint is boomming now ...in indonesia..and the price is good...🎉

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Great to hear! Eco-printing is such a popular process. Hope you are printing away in your home studio now 🌼

[@Lizaskruiden]

Thank you for sharing this information! Do you mordant indoors? Aren't you afraid of the alum steam effecting your health and or do you know anything about the safety of using alum? Thank you!!

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

You are most welcome, Liza. Yes, my dye studio is indoors and I feel comfortable working with alum. If you are concerned about heating alum, you can use it in a cold process. You can add a small amount of hot water to the alum so it dissolves, fill your pot with cooler water to accommodate for the fiber and simply soak your textile in the cold mordant bath for a longer period of time, ie. 2+ hours or longer. This should do the trick!

[@Lizaskruiden]

@@MargaretByrdColorQuest thank you for your answer and time!!! Im just not sure about using Alum, i cant really find clear research about if its save yes or no.. Have you? I think i will just try it out and see how it feels to use it. Happy creativity!

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

@@Lizaskruiden My pleasure! I have not looked for research specifically on the safety of alum, but have followed the guidance of many natural dyers about safe handling of mordants. If you ultimately decide you don't want to use it, you can use tannin or soy milk as alternative options for binders. You will find several videos here where I use both of these as well 😊 Best of luck!

[@sangrammohanty1755]

Thank you Margaret. Look forward to seeing your lessons.

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

You are most welcome, Sangram 🌼 Thanks for joining us in our quest for natural color!

[@nirjamohunta4102]

Hi if I wanted a purple colour in my eco print background. Shall I dye it with logwood or with cabbage. Which is better. Thanks

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

You are busy in your dye studio, Nirja! Red cabbage is a fugitive color, so if you want a color that stays, logwood is a better choice. Please make sure you are pre-treating all of your fibers with a mordant to help with that bond too.

[@evangelosevangelou6953]

thank you Margaret for the video. I have a question, does it matter the amount of water or not? thanks

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

You are very welcome - thanks for watching! You need enough water to fully submerge your textile and be able to have it move around freely in the water when you stir it. Volume will change depending on how much textile you use 😊

[@SychJess]

What do you mean by “protein fibers”? If I were mordantinf cotton, do I need cream of tartar? Also, after we mordant the fabric, do I hammer flowers into the fabric when its dry? Or should I wet it before hammering?

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Hi Jesse! Protein fibers are made from animals, ie. wool & silk, as opposed to cellulose fibers which are made from plants, ie. cotton, linen, hemp, etc. The cream of tartar is used for protein fibers, especially wool, in order to soften it. It is slightly acidic, so it can also modify the color if it is pH sensitive. So - no need to use cream of tartar with cotton 😊 Working with wet fiber is used in most processes, but I tend to pound flowers onto dry fiber so the print is sharper. However, you can certainly work with damp fiber and it could help with the printing. Why not try both ways 🌼

[@SychJess]

@@MargaretByrdColorQuest thankyou! We will be experimenting at ladies night this week. Lots of beautiful options in our gardens right now!

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

@@SychJess Sounds like a perfect ladies night!! Have fun 🌼

[@nirjamohunta4102]

Hi instead of simmering the fabric on heat can we keep it immersed in alum water overnight for mordanting

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Hi Nirja - yes, this is a wonderful way to save energy and get a deep mordant bond. You can simply dissolve the alum in hot water and pour it into a tepid water bath with your fiber. Let it sit overnight and you are good to go!

[@shuk4964]

Hi Margaret, it's me again. I read all the comments and i can't find the answer that i wanna ask. I thought dye the fabric first before the alum mordant? But it looks like mordant the fabric first before dye any colours? I'm so confused now :( THnak you

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

So nice to see you over here, Shuk 😊 As a standard practice, I suggest pre-treating your fibers with your mordant first before dyeing. You can do an 'all-in-one' mordant/dye where you add the mordant to the dye bath, but this is not something I typically do as it can also shift the color of the dye as alum is slightly acidic. Iron can also be used as a mordant which is often done as an after-soak to dyeing, but it is also a modifier, so it will change the color of your dyed fiber. The most common process is to pre-treat fiber with a mordant before dyeing it.

[@alinasagai2900]

Can we use Aluminium sulphate for mordanting cellulose fibers instead of potassium aluminium sulphate?what do you think about it?

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Yes, you can use aluminum sulfate as an alternative - no problem. However, for cellulose fibers, you may want to consider aluminum acetate as this is a more refined version that works extra well with plant fibers.

[@cindyperez9964]

I’m so glad I found your channel! I’m new to natural dying and you’re answering a lot of my questions. Thank you.

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

I'm so glad you found me too, Cindy! Welcome to the wonderful world of natural dyeing - you are going to love it 💕

[@cindyperez9964]

@@MargaretByrdColorQuest question: I really like how you show how to make the dye. Now, how do we dye cloth. Do we just put fabric (that has been washed and soaked with mordant) in the dye full strength? Do we boil? If you could provide some insight or other videos I’d appreciate it. Thank you!

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

@@cindyperez9964 Your question is a great one, but the answer is as varied as there are natural colors out there! It is always a good idea to pretreat your textile with a mordant like alum (or tannin) to improve the bond between dye and textile. The general rule of thumb is to use a 1:1 ratio of dry dye matter to dry weight of fabric (WOF). For example, if you have 4 oz of textile, you can make dye using 4 oz of dye matter. You can put as much water as needed to accommodate the textile so it can move freely in the dye pot. I typically simmer my textile in the dye pot for 1+ hour and let it cool in the pot overnight. Of course, there are many variations to this general 'recipe' but it is a good place to start. If you watch the pomegranate video on my channel, I walk through the whole process, so check that out for starters 💚

[@cindyperez9964]

@@MargaretByrdColorQuest thank you! I’ll definitely check out the pomegranate video, so I have a better understanding. Your “recipe” is a great place to start. I plan to start with black beans, onions, spinach.

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

@@cindyperez9964 Yes, many of the videos are meant to first provide ideas and instructions on how to extract colors from different dye materials. For black beans, in theory, you could dye up to 16oz of textile with this recipe, but you will want to add more water after you've made the cold brew dye if needed to cover your fabric. Onions are a fantastic dye source that are high in tannins, so should get good dye results using the measurements in the recipe and adding water to the dye if necessary to cover your textile. Spinach is a very subtle color, so be prepared for that and don't expect anything strong. Have fun 💚

[@ukrmuzzz]

Thank You so much! Precious info

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

You are most welcome, Yulya 🌼

[@MySweetChxnnel]

Thank you! I was trying with vinegar but I don't know it didn't dye :( will try with alum, wish me luck

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

You're welcome! Vinegar is used as a pH modifier which can shift colors in natural dye, but it is not a mordant. Hopefully, the alum will do the trick for you - best of luck 🤎

[@christinelubanski9880]

Thank you Margaret, I can’t wait to try these techniques 😊

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

You bet, Christine 💚 The mordant process is a critical step in natural dyeing, so will be great for you to try it out in your dye practice. Enjoy!

[@kavitajilkar8784]

Hallo ma'am, wish to know which is better to use soya milk or alum.

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Hi Kavita! I would say that alum (and tannin) is the most common and traditional mordant used in the dyer's world. It is a truly great option for creating strong bonds between natural dye and fiber. However, soy milk is very easy to get, and therefore, it can be a wonderful binder especially if you are looking for the most 'gentle' option. It is a very personal choice within your own dye practice, but if don't have any concern over using metal salts like alum, I would choose that as a mordant in most instances.

[@deborahbethel4946]

Do you recommend letting the fabrics dry completely after being mordanted before placing them in the dye bath? Thanks for the video, it was super informative and helpful!

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Such a great question, Deborah! I've heard different opinions about this and I've done it both ways. My suggestion is if you have the time, pre-treat a larger volume of inventory with the mordant, let it dry and set for future use. However, if you are pressed for time, you can certainly go from mordant pot straight into dye pot without waiting. There is even an 'in-the-pot' mordant method where you put the alum directly into the dye so you are doing both processes at once. This method can impact the dye itself, so you just have to test things out to see what you like best. In general, I try to pre-treat my fibers in advance and store them so I always have fiber ready to go!

[@Dovid2000]

Excellent tutorial.

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Many thanks, David. Happy to hear it was helpful 😊

[@szcreation22]

good informative video

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Many thanks!

[@christinelubanski9880]

Thank you Margaret, That was very informative and helpful 😊

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

You are most welcome, Christine! I'm so happy it was helpful 😊

[@dianejanneyvuclyngby6446]

Thank you for your informative videos. A question, after I have removed the fabric pieces from the alum bath can I reuse the water -add more water and more alum? I know it won't be as precise as the first batch has absorbed a certain amount of the originaL 15% alum. My present pot isn't that large and I want to mordant more pieces of cloth. Thank you for your help. Diane

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Hi Diane - thanks for dropping by my channel! Yes, keeping your alum water and refreshing it with water and more alum is a wonderful way to repurpose and be more water conscious. I don't worry so much about precision with percentages/ratios, and having a stronger alum bath won't hurt. As long as you are open to experimenting, you are certain to have great results.

[@lyrebird9749]

Hi, thanks these are great videos. Can you combine more than 1 mordant? I'm mainly interested in printing flowers and leaves onto cotton fabric. I have some alum sulphate but am wondering if this is strong enough for pre-treating cotton or if I should also try using soy milk or tannin. One video I saw also used soda ash with alum for mordanting. What would you recommend ?

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Great questions! Yes, you can always use more than one mordant to create different bonding environments. For cotton, one of the best combinations is aluminum sulfate and tannin, or you can use aluminum acetate for a great single mordant. Soy milk can be another decent binder, but it isn't always as strong as the other mordants I mentioned. Soda ash is typically used as a color modifier (or for scouring), but I'm sure there are natural dyers who are experimenting and finding good results with all kinds of combinations. Best advice - test things out and see what works best for you!

[@lyrebird9749]

@@MargaretByrdColorQuest Thanks again for sharing your knowledge, Margaret. The only tannin I have access to so far is black tea, which, when used with alum didn't seem to do anything except dye the cotton light brown! I can see I'll have to invest in some better mordants to extract colour from leaves. BTW, the only mordant I could find locally is Potassium Aluminium Sulphate. This is marketed as Alum, but it's a bit confusing as Aluminium Sulphate is also called Alum. Botanical Colours say they behave differently but a lot of info on eco-dyeing doesn't specify which one they are using. I'm going to try Aluminium Acetate, as you recommend. I thought I would be stuck as I don't like ordering things from overseas, but luckily, I've found there is an Australian store KraftKolour which has mordants and natural dyes (seems similar to BotanicalColors). I'll let you know if I have any success !

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

@@lyrebird9749 You are most welcome 🌼 Tannin can be a tricky one even though there are lots of plants that hold it. I decided to buy oak gall (gallo) tannin which I use regularly, but I also bought tara and myroloban to test in the future. I actually found tara while foraging in Peru, and in the market, so played a bit with that while I was there. If you have pomegranate, you can use the skins as a tannin mordant, but it will definitely color your fiber a yellowish tone. Oak gall is great because it is so light. Alum is the generic term used and can refer to any of the various forms of the metal salt. You can see the alum stones I worked with in Peru which was in the solid state, but it can be processed into many different forms (aluminum potassium sulfate, aluminum sulfate and aluminum acetate). All of these forms will provide some level of mordant, but some are better than others for a particular fiber. I have seen much better results with aluminum acetate on cellulose, and although it tends to be more difficult to find and more expensive, I think it is worth the investment. Having said that, aluminum potassium sulfate is often the easiest to find, so I always like it when it is something easy for people to try. Great that you found a local source to try out. There is such a wonderful natural dye culture in Australia 🤎

[@oliviafrederik7428]

Does this work for ecoprinting?

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Yes, if you are using silk or wool, this type of alum will work well for mordanting. If you are using cotton, aluminum acetate works best if you have access to it. You can watch several videos on eco-printing where I show pre-mordanting in the Eco-Print playlist on this channel 😊

[@krystelnino4659]

Thank you! Im wondering, if having a silk 40%-hemp 60% fabric, which mordant would you recommend?

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

You are welcome, Krystel! If you have access to aluminum acetate, that would be the best option, but aluminum potassium sulfate (alum) should also be a good choice and it is typically easier/cheaper to find.

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

@Divina Fémina That is wonderful, Divina! The typical ratio of aluminum acetate to dry weight of fiber is 5%. For example, if you are dyeing 100 grams of fiber, you will want to use 5 grams of aluminum acetate. Best of luck and have fun 🤎

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

@Divina Fémina You are most welcome, Divina! Personally, I tend to skip this step, but yes, an after-soak in a hot calcium carbonate (chalk) or wheat bran bath is suggested at 5% WOF for up to 30 minutes 😊

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

@Divina Fémina It is recommended to heat up to 160° F/70° C for the mordant process.

[@wassanavilamas8239]

i love to dyes Yarn and fabric so much.

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

I know exactly what you mean, Wassana - I love it too!

[@sriangel1682]

It's great video. I would like to know is silk materials also can use with hot water? Alum is similar as Baking Soda? Thank you so much 🙏❤

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Many thanks to you, Nivedika 💕 Yes, you can use hot water with silk, but you want to be very careful with your heat. Do not let it get too hot - a gentle simmer on lower heat is best. Alum is a metal salt (aluminum potassium sulfate) and is used more commonly in pickling. It is not baking soda which is used in natural dyeing to shift the pH of dye to an alkaline state which can change the color of some dye matter. Baking soda is not a mordant.

[@sriangel1682]

Thank you so much dear Magaret for your kind reply❤

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

@@sriangel1682 You are most welcome 🌼

[@anuralatha]

Thank you,very informative!

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

You are so welcome - happy it is helpful 💚

[@mojohandykraftz]

I have a doubt… do we have to add cream of tartar in alum water bath?? I mean both have to be combined or you are trying to show 2 different techniques. Thanks

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Great question! Cream of tartar is used with alum only for protein fibers like silk & wool. It is not required, but merely suggested, to help soften the fiber. You can also use cream of tartar as a color modifier with some dyes as it will shift the pH of water to a more acidic state.

[@mojohandykraftz]

@@MargaretByrdColorQuest Thanks for the reply 😊💖

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

@@mojohandykraftz You are most welcome 💕

[@tsstudio5570]

What kind of process should be applied to the mordanted and stored fabric when we want to use it later?

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

There is nothing more you need to do with the pre-treated fiber before dyeing except soaking it in water before putting it into the dye pot. You should always wet your textile for 1+ hour if possible so it is nicely saturated. This 'opens' the fibers to allow dye to more easily be absorbed. Very important step to a happy dye pot!

[@tsstudio5570]

@@MargaretByrdColorQuest Thank you :)

[@beckymacisaac8190]

If you have added a soymilk binder to cellulose fabrics can it then be treated with alum and cream of tartar as if it is now a protein fiber thank to the soy?

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Great question, Becky 😊 You are certainly welcome to treat cellulose fibers with alum (aluminum potassium sulfate) at any point. However, aluminum acetate is one of the most common mordants for cellulose (cotton, linen, hemp, bamboo - plant based fibers). Why not experiment and see what differences you see?

[@BohemianDreamery]

Does this make textile dye permanent? Would dye wash out in high temperature, for example 70C?

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Hi Monika - natural colors are never permanent in the same way as a synthetic dye. Alum helps with the natural bond between organic matter and textiles, and can create a longer lasting color, but it is highly dependent on many environmental factors. Some natural dyes have a longer life when exposed to wash or light, but you may experience fading over time. Pick your dye matter carefully and treat your textiles as delicate and you can have colors that will last for some time. You can always test it out first with smaller textile samples too. I love to think of natural color as living and breathing, and therefore, ever-changing.

[@AnanyaChattopadhyay09]

Alum is used for napthal dyeing, right?

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

I'm not familiar with the process of using naphthol dyes. I looked at a recipe from The Batik Institute and did not see any mention of alum (aluminum potassium sulfate), although there is some reference to 'salts'. It appears that naphthol dyeing is chemical based and toxic, so it would not be something I personally would try.

[@tivolimu6627]

Thank you Margaret! It's a really useful video! Just a few questions: for wool or silk, should we use both alum and cream of tartar or just cream of tartar itself? And do we need to dry the fabric or leave it wet before we dye it?

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

So happy that the video is helpful! For protein fibers (silk & wool), using alum and cream of tartar both is recommended. The cream of tartar is no needed for cellulose fibers like cotton. When you are ready to dye any fiber, it is always good for it to be wet. You can move straight from the mordant to the dye pot, but if you wait to dye, soak your fiber in water for about 1 hour before dyeing it. Wet fibers are more open to receiving natural dyes (or so I'm told 😉). Enjoy!

[@tivolimu6627]

​@@MargaretByrdColorQuest Wow learned a lot! Thank you so much!😄

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

@@tivolimu6627 My pleasure - have fun!

[@cynthiagrey6687]

HI there could you please tell me how I figure out %15 of the weight of the fabric when I am using alum for a mordant?

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Great questions, Cynthia - it can be very confusing! Let me give you an example for easy math: If you have 100 grams of dry fiber (W.O.F) and you want 15% alum, you would multiply 100g x 15% (100 x 0.15 = 15). In this calculation, you would need 15 grams of alum. Same goes for ounces, but the numbers are always smaller 😊 For example, if you have 5 ounces W.O.F., you multiple that by 15% for the alum percentage - 5 oz x 0.15 = 0.75 oz alum. Hope that makes sense!

[@cynthiagrey6687]

Thanks, that will help. Now for another question... I tried to dye some fabric using cabbage dye... it didn't go very well... I think the problem was from using too much fabric. I just started sewing again and thought I would practice dying a yard of unbleached cotton... it is a very very faint pink. Would you recommend making the shirt or what ever first and then dye it?

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

@@cynthiagrey6687 A few things to share with you here, Cynthia. Red cabbage is not a very strong dye and it is considered fugitive, so it will not produce as dark of a color as you might expect and it will potentially fade quickly, especially with washing. You will want to absolutely mordant your fiber before trying to dye with red cabbage. The darkest results I achieved was with a tannin/alum combination on cotton. Secondly, there is a ratio between dye matter and dry weight of fiber (W.O.F.) that determines how much dye you would need to use. Typically, you can start with a 1:1 ratio, so for example, if you have 5 ounces of dry fiber, you would want to have 5 oz (at the minimum) of dye matter. I often dye larger volumes of fiber in one pot, but you have to make sure you have a good ratio. If you only have a small amount of dye matter, you might be better dyeing just the shirt itself. Hope this helps 💜

[@cynthiagrey6687]

@@MargaretByrdColorQuest it really helped. Thanks!

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

@@cynthiagrey6687 You are most welcome 🌼

[@TheWhimsicalFamily]

Do I need to use cream of tarter if I'm using 100% cotton?

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

No need on cellulose (plant) fibers like cotton. Cream of Tartar is a recommended addition for protein fibers of silk and wool.

[@DesignArtEmbroidery]

Does it matter which type of washing detergent is used?

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Any brand of pH neutral laundry soap is recommended when natural dyeing. The detergent might be labeled for sensitive skin (baby soap) or delicate fabrics.

[@aastharajawat2050]

Ma'am I'm from India doing phd, and I am working on natural mordants and dyes I need your help 🙏

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Hi Aastha 😊 Congratulations on your phD work - impressive! Feel free to ask any questions - happy to try to help 💚

[@augustbinderybespokeatelie8092]

Not sure if you know this but aloe vera makes a terrific natural mordant.

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Thank you so much for sharing this, August, I did not know! I just dyed with aloe vera for the first time (see Aruba foraging vlog 2), but for color. I have a few pieces left from that trip, so I will test them out as a mordant. How cool!

[@augustbinderybespokeatelie8092]

@@MargaretByrdColorQuest You're very welcome! If you find a paper called: A Study on the Effect of Marigold Flower Dye with Natural Mordant on Selected Fibers, it explains everything in detail, including how to prepare the Aloe vera as a mordant. Another paper I found called: Extraction and Optimization of Natural Dye From Hambo Hambo (Cassia singueana) Plant Used For Coloration of Tanned Leather Materials, tested Aloe vera extensively as a mordant and had the best results with using it as a pre-mordant. Interestingly enough, they also tested and recommend Mango bark juice as another 100% natural and organic mordant. Best!

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

@@augustbinderybespokeatelie8092 Thanks so much for the two research papers about aloe vera. I will check it out! I just tried mango skins for dye for the first time, so great to know about mango bark. Too bad I don't have mango trees in the PNW!!

[@augustbinderybespokeatelie8092]

@@MargaretByrdColorQuest Just watched your Aloe Vlog and your aloe dyes turned out beautiful! I've just begun my journey and experience into natural dyes, so I plan on watching pretty much all of your videos. I also haven't tried the aloe mordant yet, but as I understand it you evaporate the mashed and filtered pulp and then use it pretty much as you would alum...? But this is where the experience of someone such as yourself would really help, because you are familiar with all of this already and know how aloe may interact with other natural colors. I'd love to see what you're able to figure out with it! Fortunately for me, there is plenty of natural aloe all over here in Florida! I bet it's really beautiful up where you are.

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

@@augustbinderybespokeatelie8092 Thanks so much! I just loved how easy it was and how beautiful the inside of the leaves were - incredible. What you are describing above sounds like a lake pigment process which is a great way to convert plant dye to a solid form. Painters use this process to create natural paints too. I plan to test out the lake pigment process in the future, so will keep this in mind if I'm in an area again with aloe vera 💚

[@sandrapalomaaldunatepage9797]

Thank you from Chile!! :)

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

You are most welcome! Thank you for joining the Color Quest family 🌼

[@pattibealer]

So why the cream of tartar?

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Cream of tartar can help soften wool fibers during the mordant process.

[@aryamr7703]

What care we can take for natural dyed clothes

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

The best way to care for naturally dyed clothes is to treat them like you would any delicate fabric: wash in cold water with a pH neutral/gentle soap, air dry out of direct sunlight, and most importantly, enjoy how organically dyed textile changes over time 😊Make sure you always mordant your textile before dyeing, and if you are looking for more long lasting color, stick to the favorites in the dyer's world like madder, weld, indigo, lac, pericon, cochineal, black walnut and other dyes that are high in natural tannins. Best of luck!

[@rinaborade7538]

Hello, mam I am research scholar. Your videos very helpful for my research. I want to contact with you.. how can do contact to you?

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Hi Rina! You can find my contact details in the About section of my channel 🙂

[@mahicheema1485]

Need fixer formula

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Thanks for your question, Mahi. I believe you are looking for the ratio of alum mordant to the weight of fiber (WOF)? In this video, I'm using 15% of the WOF for the alum measurement (and 5% of the WOF for the cream of tartar measurement if you are using protein fibers like silk/wool). Let me give you a simple example: If you have dry fiber that weighs 100 grams, you need to add 15 grams of alum (& 5 grams of cream of tartar for silk/wool). I hope this helps!

[@veronkasago]

The "fairy of the eco printing"😂

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

It is all very enchanting 😊

[@veronkasago]

Blinking eyes😂😂😂😂😂

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

😊😊😊😊😊

[@robininoregon8079]

I like your content, but you talk so slow. Maybe speed up a bit.

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Thanks, Robin, for joining us at Color Quest and taking the time to comment. Creating content that has a global reach means I try to be mindful of a wider audience including non-native English speakers. Over the years, I believe my cadence has varied from video to video, so hopefully, you can find some that are more your speed 😊

[@judithgoodwin8013]

I would not consider this a beginners video. Number one you can hand wash, number two I assume that the weight measure was in grams and it would be nice to have it both in grams and ounces. Not everyone can figure out percentages of weight of fabric to how much cream of tartar or Alam to use. I don’t like Videos that do not speak and go quickly. So I had to give this video a thumbs down.

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Thank you for all of your constructive feedback, Judith. You are correct that it can be confusing/complicated to determine the measurements, so let me convert this specific video example to ounces: The dry W.O.F here is approximately 6 oz and I use 2 Tablespoons of alum (plus 2 teaspoons of cream of tartar for protein fibers (wool/silk)). The use of ratio percentages allows for any measuring system to be used (ounces or grams) and for the viewer to apply this to the volume of textile they are using in their own project. It's tricky to meet all expectations, but there are some wonderful videos/books out there for you to dive deeper into the topic. Please feel free to reach out via email if you have any specific questions 😊

[@sheilanicholls6855]

Convert the measurements with Google. V quick.

[@anuralatha]

@@MargaretByrdColorQuest What a humble lady that you are!Ths is a symbol of Colour Angels!

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

@@sheilanicholls6855 Yes, that is exactly what I do - thanks for the suggestion!

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

@@anuralatha What a lovely thought, Anu 💕

[@Toondee1]

Thank you for sharing.

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

You are very welcome!