Dyeing Wool Yarn with Madder Root

Step-by-step directions on how to dye wool yarn using madder root powder.

I am an 18th-century reenactor. I dye wool yarn using ingredients and methods from the 18th century. This Instructable gives you directions on how to dye wool yarn using madder root giving a wonderful orangey-red color.

I recently purchased five pounds of madder root powder from the Monterey Bay Spice Company for the best price I have found yet. There are many company's that sell the powder and roots. If you buy the roots, you must grind them before using them.

The mordant chemicals can be purchased at your local grocery store. Sodium carbonate is the ingredient in Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda Detergent Booster. You can find alum and cream of tartar in the spice section. The alum that I buy in bulk I believe is more potent than the stuff sold as spice. But, I have used it in a pinch.

Step 1: Preparing the wool yarn.

The most important step is to have the wool yarn properly prepared for dyeing. I add extra ties to my skeins so that they hold together better. You can see my extra ties in red yarn. Each skein now has four places where the skein is tied.

Do not tie too tightly or you will be tye-dying the yarn by accident.

Soak the yarn for at least 5 hours in a slightly soapy water. Since I like to use my hands to move the yarn around in the soak while soaking, I make sure that I remove all rings so the yarn doesn't get caught on them.

I use a ceramic baking sheet to hold the yarn in the water while it soaks.

Don't make the mistake of putting dry wool yarn into the dye bath. The color is absorbed in different strengths and you will end up with a color that is not uniform.

Comments

[setenay]

l really wonder something; is madder root the same thing that we buy generally from the spice stores to use while cooking? ( curry etc.) or can we use them to dye?
btw very nice and useful tutorial, totally loved it. thanks.

[SabineT]

Since they didn't have stainless steel pots in the 18th century, I'm curious what they might have used instead. Have you tried cast iron or ceramic pots?

[pebbles1]

can u do the same thing with koolaid??????

[lescarroll]

They didn't have kool aid in the 18th century.

[masterochicken]

But you can. Kool-aid works for any animal fibers.

[TraumaComet]

Thanks so much for this post! I have just begun experimenting with yarn- dyeing, and this instructable was invaluable! The first time I tried dyeing with madder, it came out his weird orange-yellow(not enough mordant). Also, for first-time yarn dyers, there's a really easy and satisfying recipe at the lion brand yarn site for dyeing with turmeric (in the spice section of every grocery store). That's how I got the yarn-dyein" fever!

[GorillazMiko]

Yum! Just kidding, awesome idea! I like it, it's really cool, nice job.