Naturally Dyeing with Dyer's Coreopsis

Coreopsis tinctoria is one of over 75 species in the family Asteraceae. Originally native to the prairies of North America it is now cultivated world-wide and comes in a range of yellows and reds or, like Coreopsis tinctoria, yellow with red centres.
As the word ‘tinctoria’ indicates this is a recognised dye plant and although historical reference to it is limited, it is known to have been used as a source of natural dye by the plains tribes of North America. It’s also thought to have been used by the early civilisations of Central and South America. Sometimes called ‘tickseed’, a reference to its insect-like seeds, the plant was reportedly used in bedding to ward off bedbugs.
Coreopsis tinctoria is an easily grown annual, that will add a cheerful splash of colour to the sunny corner of your dye garden. It flowers throughout the summer and early autumn and the hoverflies seem to love it. The flowers can be used fresh or dried for natural dyeing, and picking off the flower heads as they begin to fade will encourage more to grow. Once the flowering season is over the plant tops can also be used for dyeing, giving a further range colours.
Coreopsis tinctoria is rich in dyestuffs including luteolin (yellow) and morin (the orange component of fustic). They are highly water soluble so, following the advice of Susan Dye of Natures Rainbow, I simply poured kettle-hot water over the fresh flowers and left them to soak overnight before straining the dyestuff to create a clear dye bath - no further heating required.
For this natural dyeing project I’m using a skein of naturally white Bluefaced Leicester wool (an animal / protein fibre), skeins of linen and banana yarn, as well as a square of cotton fabric (plant / cellulose fibres).
These fibres were all mordanted before dyeing. For detailed information on how to prepare both plant and animal fibres for dyeing see:
www.elkatextiles.co.uk/collec...
References:
www.davesgarden.com
www.naturesrainbow.co.uk
www.shepherdtextiles.com
Boutrup and Ellis (2018) The Art and Science of Natural Dyes