Read more about tansy here.This is probably the single most versatile dyeing plant in existence. Its colour range goes from bright, sunny yellow over orange-yellow to light olive with a minimum of effort. It is also extremely colourfast if done right. None of your beautiful-now-but-fade-to-mud effect for ms. Tansy! The light, sunny yellow of an afterbath is also the best way to produce clear greens by overdyeing with either woad or indigo.
Outside Continetal Europe, it is also an extremely invasive species. You can pick and dye to Kingdom Come with a good conscience.
After dyeing, the used dyebath can be used in combating cat and dog fleas. After vacuuming, wash your floors with tansy decoction, and not a flea will be left alive.
Use 1000g plant material (or more) for 250 g yarn or fabric. This is one of the few dyeing plants which can be dried and stored for later usage. Dry hanging, away from sunlight, and with good air circulation. Garage, carport or some such are good places. Double the amount if working with dried herb.
Shred, and cover with clean water in enamel or ceramic pot. Bring to a brisk boil, lower heat and let boil for at least two hours, preferably covered with a lid since the odour is strong (but not unpleasant). Top up with more water at the half-way point if necessary. Let herb cool off in dyesoup until next day and strain off plant matter.
Next day, pre-soak your mordanted yarn/cloth in clean water while you prepare the dyepot. Pour your dyebath into the pot you wish to use. Clear, light colours - use enamel or ceramic. Darker, orangey yellows, use a copper pot. Greenish-shading-to-olive, use an iron pot.
Dilute with water until it will float the amount of yarn/fabric you wish to dye, and place on heating source.
Put in your wet yarn/fabric, and keep in motion while the dyebath heats. Keep at 90 degrees centigrade for an hour and a half, remove from heat and let cool in dyebath.
Dry in fresh air and shade (sets the colour better), then wash gently in soapy water. Rinse carefully, adding 1% vinegar to final rinse. Dry in fresh air and shade.
White Shetland wool, mordanted with 15% alum + 10% potassium bitartrate, dyed in ceramic pot.
Shred, and cover with clean water in enamel or ceramic pot. Bring to a brisk boil, lower heat and let boil for at least two hours, preferably covered with a lid since the odour is strong (but not unpleasant). Top up with more water at the half-way point if necessary. Let herb cool off in dyesoup until next day and strain off plant matter.
Next day, pre-soak your mordanted yarn/cloth in clean water while you prepare the dyepot. Pour your dyebath into the pot you wish to use. Clear, light colours - use enamel or ceramic. Darker, orangey yellows, use a copper pot. Greenish-shading-to-olive, use an iron pot.
Dilute with water until it will float the amount of yarn/fabric you wish to dye, and place on heating source.
Put in your wet yarn/fabric, and keep in motion while the dyebath heats. Keep at 90 degrees centigrade for an hour and a half, remove from heat and let cool in dyebath.
Dry in fresh air and shade (sets the colour better), then wash gently in soapy water. Rinse carefully, adding 1% vinegar to final rinse. Dry in fresh air and shade.
White Shetland wool, mordanted with 15% alum + 10% potassium bitartrate, dyed in ceramic pot.
White and light grey Icelandic wool, mordanted with 20% alum, dyed in copper pot.
White and light gray Spelsau wool, mordanted with 18% alum + 2% tin salt, dyed in copper pot.
White Spelsau wool mordanted with 15% alum + 2% copper sulphate, dyed in iron pot.
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