Category: Madder

Posted in a collusion of ideas, Deliberation--do something you don't do--or haven't in awhile, Madder, mordants and modifiers, The Summer of Madder (Study)

summer madder project Project

Posted on by arlee

For a couple of years now, i’ve had an idea in my head for a special garment, after seeing something in a trendy boutique window that fired some desire for a similar “Objay Dart” (aka Objet d’art). It was in reds, all patchy and flowing, bohemian though unadorned with any embellishments, simply cut and extremely Spendy. I filed the idea away, as i haven’t made even a pair of pyjama pants in the last 7 years.

But what’s this? There seems to be a plethora of chunks of fabric, all dyed recently, in the madder summer experiment pot. And threads in various shades as well. EUREKA.

I do have more fabrics, but have to dig through some serious piles first! I’m picking up a package from Maiwa today too, which includes more madder, because even though i intend to use up the 33 year old madder currently in the pot, and the tons still left in that bag, i think the best red was from Maiwa. Two madder pots then!

I used to make wearable art, even had a moderately successful small business for 6 years, selling through local boutiques and “Craft fairs”, so i’m experienced enough a designer and construction-ist (i hate the word seamstress…), that i know the cut of this is going to be important. Cotton, at least most of the cotton i have, is not terribly drapey. They’re not stiff slices either, but with not a lot of movement in them, the design has to accommodate that fact and the silk additions, which are drapey. I might go on the bias with some of them though, as that helps a bit with flow.

I could of course just draft my own design, but i pulled out my only Tina Givens pattern, and had a look at that.

Hmm, slip “too” biasy, pants too much fabric. The crop top however might work, but i may forgo the ruffled detail at the bottom, and just lengthen it a bit. Actually, there could be enough silk to do the slip too! OOOOO, wouldn’t that be decandenty-bohemianish-artful-artistry-Artist-y? I tend to live in either leggings and a shirt for work and out-and-about, and a tank and pyjama pants at home! My body has settled into a 60 year old shape (though a “few” pounds could be lost) and i really don’t care to “dress to impress” anyone anymore, but it’s always nice to have something for “good” 🙂

So, though i may have chunks of fabric, and hanks of thread to share in the shop, depending on amounts and time, i will also have something to really show what i’ve been up to. It’s not a daunting project either, as i have no deadline, no rules to follow, and no one to account to. I can do whatever treatment i like to the “patches”, take my time with those as well, enjoy the process (and maybe make learn new skills or at least, new applications of older skills), and go easier on myself in my studio. Perhaps the Muse will return somewhere along the line here, and if not, well, i’ll have some new duds at the least.

***EDIT: For those of us with that 60 year old body, you might want to read this review, with its tips. (Please be aware though that the writer of the post, Lorraine from Calgary, has passed on since…i sure would have liked to have met her in person.)

 

 

Posted in Madder, mordants and modifiers, Natural Dyes, The Summer of Madder (Study)

33 year old madder

Posted on by arlee

This madder *could* be older actually. I’m going by the date of dissolution of the company that sold it, so who knows when this was actually packaged??!!! I doubt that it has “expired”, though i’m sure at some point, even madder roots lose their potency. From yesterday’s start, things looked mighty promising.

All skeins were premordanted with tannin (gallnut) and alum acetate, as is recommended for cellulose fibres. The thread is a 4 stranded embroidery floss Galler product, “Parisian cotton”, sadly no longer in production. The company is still in business, but doesn’t manufacture this particular commodity anymore. I didn’t do a bran bath however as the last step, a better way of “dunging” than actual dung….  That will happen on the next batch of threads to see if it really does make a difference–i know people who swear by this, and it is emphasized with the use of alum acetate, but haven’t tried it myself yet.

The first skein was in the dyebath for 8 hours. Wet:

And dry. I was quite surprised to see how much the first skein lightened when dry, though i know that dyed items, whether chemical or natural dyes, always dry lighter. Well, nothing wrong with “terracotta rose” 🙂

An iron dip on one section of the 16 hour second skein browned it, copper sort of pinked it, some soda ash made it slightly redder.

I still had 4 skeins in the pot at this point and left each for a day longer, progressively, though there’s not much difference in absorption. From now on though, i’ll be leaving the threads (or fabrics if used) in the pot for at least 2-3 days for maximum absorption and depth of colour.

Not knowing the provenance of this bag of ground madder root, i’m not even sure it hasn’t been doctored with red brick-dust or gawdz-know-what, a common practice to pad the bill in the old days! For the amount i put in the stocking, it swelled a LOT, from filling a good two inches to puffing up and making itself look big at 6 so round so firm so fully packed inches.

Though not “true” TURKEY RED, this range of shades are wonderful, because each time i do the dye pots, i get something unique to me. Madder is also more work on cellulose fibres though, with those deep rich radical raunchy reds best showing on wool (a protein fibre). BUT, that’s still a good thing for the personal stash and usage. *And* i can say now with some truth, that i have some “vintage” threads. And yes, i know the terminology: 25+ years is “classic”, 50-100 is “vintage” and 100+ is “antique”. “Vintage” also refers to a specific YEAR, so my threads are done with vintage madder 🙂 I do love this range of shades i got, and look forward to incorporating them into my work, should the Muse return……

I’ve poured off the first extraction, saving it, and will now see what colours result from a second soaking.