Really? I used rhubarb leaf as mordant, and rhubarb root as dye. If my book is wrong, I would LOVE it if you wouldn't mind checking one of your books. I really want to make coral! I do, I do! I'll have washing soda by next week. I have plenty of rhubarb leaf juice and plenty of rhubarb root dye. If you have a sooper sekrit coral producing recipe, please take pity on me and share. (Was that pathetic and whiny enough?)
both books I checked said to use alum as mordant and rhubarb root as dye. one mentions the alkalininity and the other doesn't.
both mention that the results vary between yellow and coral so it could be that your rhubarb root isn't strong enough.
also tums is chalk and doesn't dissolve well at room temp - maybe heating it up will help. washing soda would work for sure. Basically you need to add the alkaline agent to the dye solution and the solution has to change colour for it to work!
You could also try baking soda or ammonia. Really lye is my fav ph modifier - use a little, you don't want to get above ph 10 or you'll damage your wool!
Oh thank you thank you thank you! I'm all hot and bothered now to acquire the washing soda so I can get busy a-trying. I saw Red Devil Lye at the grocery store once upon a time, so I'll have to check for it next time I go shopping. Meanwhile, I'm fooling around with your alum mordant, rhubarb root dye, and ammonia modifier suggestion just for fun. It's simmering away now. I'll post pictures of the results. I have a hunch you are right about the rhubarb root dye not being strong enough, so I'll harvest some more roots from my mother's house in the next day or two and try to make a much stronger batch. Thank you so much for all of your help - you are The Bomb, and I really really appreciate you!
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can't wait to see the attempt at coral!!!
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I'll be over soon, BTW. Lad is napping.
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I'll have washing soda by next week. I have plenty of rhubarb leaf juice and plenty of rhubarb root dye. If you have a sooper sekrit coral producing recipe, please take pity on me and share. (Was that pathetic and whiny enough?)
Reply
both mention that the results vary between yellow and coral so it could be that your rhubarb root isn't strong enough.
also tums is chalk and doesn't dissolve well at room temp - maybe heating it up will help. washing soda would work for sure. Basically you need to add the alkaline agent to the dye solution and the solution has to change colour for it to work!
You could also try baking soda or ammonia. Really lye is my fav ph modifier - use a little, you don't want to get above ph 10 or you'll damage your wool!
Reply
I'm all hot and bothered now to acquire the washing soda so I can get busy a-trying. I saw Red Devil Lye at the grocery store once upon a time, so I'll have to check for it next time I go shopping.
Meanwhile, I'm fooling around with your alum mordant, rhubarb root dye, and ammonia modifier suggestion just for fun. It's simmering away now. I'll post pictures of the results.
I have a hunch you are right about the rhubarb root dye not being strong enough, so I'll harvest some more roots from my mother's house in the next day or two and try to make a much stronger batch.
Thank you so much for all of your help - you are The Bomb, and I really really appreciate you!
Reply
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