Natural Dyes
Presented by Deb McClintock
LOCATION & TIME
Meeting Time: 10:00 AM, Monday, February 13 2017
San Antonio Garden Center
3310 N. New Braunfels Avenue, SAT 78209
Come at 9:30 for refreshments and creative networking!
For centuries natural dyes have been made using locally available plant, mineral and even insect sources. Today, choosing natural dyes over the chemical alternative is becoming more popular as we move toward more sustainable ways of living.
Natural dyestuffs fall mainly into the following broad categories: Leaves and stems, twigs and tree pruning, flower heads, barks, roots, insect dyes, outer skins , hulls and husks, heartwoods and wood-shaving, berries and seeds and lichens. We will talk about how we get colors from these plants to “bite” with mordants. We’ll consider how to use different “assists” to push the colors different directions, such as vinegar, iron and even the impact the type of water used, rainwater versus well water, has on your colors. We’ll look back in time at what was used historically and talk about safety today. McClintock will have some examples of the colors produced by lichens, cactus tuna, cochineal and Texas ball moss plus more. She states,
I won’t make a natural dye expert of you in one day but you will start looking at your garden plants in a new light. My current study is the colors from my valley. Cactus tuna, Texas persimmon, lichen, agarita and acorns all give me a variety to design with. My garden holds Japanese Indigo, Navajo Tea or Cota, Hopi Sunflowers and Woad. What color will your valley provide?
