HOW TO USE OAK GALL AS A TANNIN MORDANT | NATURAL DYE | ORGANIC COLOR | BEIGE TAN GRAY | IRON WATER

[@bjchadwick4261]

Very interesting information. Thanks!

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

You are most welcome!

[@nadaelmurshidy2510]

Thank you so much for sharing

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

My pleasure, Nada! Thank you for your sweet words and for joining us here at Color Quest all the way from Egypt 🤎

[@dorinases]

Thank you! Does the alum mordant wash away from the fabric if washed? Or there would be residue of aluminum in fabric?

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

You're welcome! No, once you've treated fabric with a mordant, it adheres to the fiber and will not wash out.

[@KimClark-1]

Very interesting demonstration!

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Many thanks, Kim! Love the tannin/iron combo in natural dyeing 🤎

[@lauraseay4723]

Oh wow, you've got some luscious colors. I've just been getting/researching into the subject. I'm looking forward to watching more of your results. Do you have more results-oriented towards the amounts of dyes/mordants to use? Weights of fabric to how much mordant? So I know how much to buy. Or do you just kind of eye ball it or just add more for better results?

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Many thanks, Laura - happy to found us at Color Quest! Check out the Mordant section in the video library to learn more directly about various kinds of mordants and how to use them. Plus, in most of the videos from the past few years, I've included information on what mordants I am using and the percentages to use based on W.O.F. It can vary, but a good general rule of thumb for something like alum is 10-15% based on the weight of dry fiber. You can also find excellent written resources at Maiwa and Botanical Colors which is where I buy my dye stuff and mordants. Have fun!

[@dianedaoust8472]

thank you just discovered your channel ! Very informative and clear ..step by step so grateful !

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

How wonderful, Diane, thank you! Best of luck in your dye studio 💚

[@nirjamohunta4102]

Hi I dipped my silk in alum. And also added some madder powder. Will soak it overnight. Will this work. Shall place leaves in the morning then steam.

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Hi Nirja - how did your experiment go? Madder is quite strong, so it is possible that a cold soak would work for the color to bond to the fiber. It's wonderful that you are being creative and trying new things in your dye studio - that is how you discover what works and what you love 🌼

[@nirjamohunta4102]

@@MargaretByrdColorQuest do send me your e mail I shall send you pics of the experiment.

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

@@nirjamohunta4102 Hi NIrja - you can find my contact details in the About section here on my channel.

[@somepinkflowers]

So useful. 🌸 Watching it twice. 💕💕

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

That is twice as nice! Many thanks for all your natural dyeing juju 💕

[@bronsonleiro]

Hey there, I was wondering your opinion on using oak gall powder as a mordant instead of soymilk, or if maybe you think both would be worth doing. I have been looking to dye without mineral salts, and I did a few jackets from your soymilk method + yellow onion skin. Has turned out very well, but I now found a source for oak gall powder and some research suggests it may be a good substitute if not work better. Would love to here your input. Thanks in general you have been a pivotal source of information

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Hiya! So great to have you here at Color Quest and thanks for your question. Tannin is an excellent source of a plant-based binder if you want to avoid traditional mordant salts like alum. Gallo tannin is a wonderful choice because it is light in color which doesn't typically influence the dye result on fiber. Soy milk is a great alternative and used widely across the globe, but tannins are considered on par with mineral salts and often used in conjunction with them. If you have tannin, go for it!

[@sivrebekkaholst3640]

Hi so interesting! Im doing a similar project with oak galls and was wondering if you ever tried with the 20%, 30% ?

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

To be honest, I'm not sure, but I suspect not. Give it a try and let us know how it goes. Seems it would just create richer and deeper results 🤎

[@RachelRamey]

Can you use tea as a mordant like this?

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Great question, Rachel. Yes, many teas have a high tannin content, like black and green teas, so it could be used to help bind color. It won't be as strong using a metal salt like alum, but it is a good option to use the natural power of tannins.

[@RachelRamey]

Thank you!

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

@@RachelRamey You are most welcome!

[@marin706]

My oak gall is not hard like that it’s more like a thin shell

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

You might be lucky if it is easier to grind 😊 I know there are many types of oak gall, so test it out and see how it works for you.

[@JM_Lauderdale]

It's an oak gall. Oak trees get this abnormality by a female wasp inserting their eggs into the tree buds.

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Welcome to Color Quest! Many thanks for sharing more about the magic of oak galls 🐝