Alkanet root natural dye (also known as Alkanna tinctoria or Dyer’s Bugloss) is derived from the root of a plant native to the Mediterranean and parts of Europe. Alkanet produces a spectrum of purples through to grey depending on the method or mordant used. While its natural baseline yields a range of greys and purples, you can shift these results by altering your extraction methods.
Suggested Method of Dyeing with Alkanet Root natural dye
It can be difficult to extract colour from Alkanet Root natural dye by soaking in water alone and, as an alternative, some dyers will steep it in alcohol (such as Isopropyl alcohol, or gin!) for 2-3 weeks. The Alkanet Root has been dried and chopped to help with this process. When the liquid has developed a strong shade, strain the solution and add to the dyebath containing simmering water. Lower the still damp, mordanted fibres into the liquid and allow to simmer for at least 1 hour. Adding a small amount of iron mordant will modify the final colour towards grey.
Alkanet Root is highly sensitive to pH and extraction method. Acidic conditions favour red-violet shades, while alkaline conditions shift the colour towards blue.
Important Natural Dyeing Tips
Most natural fibres can be dyed using natural dyes. Some natural dyes can be used without a mordant, while others benefit from mordanting to improve colourfastness and help achieve particular shades.
Wool and silk are commonly mordanted with alum, while cellulose fibres such as cotton and linen can be mordanted using aluminium lactate. Another method is to prepare cellulose fibres with a tannin solution followed by an alum mordant. This age-old technique can sometimes affect the final colour of the natural dye through the colour absorbed during the tannin soak – a side effect that may be desirable.
Another use of mordants is to modify the colour using an after-treatment of iron, copper or tin mordant; these will each shift the original natural dye colour. Whether you’re dyeing wool, silk, cotton or linen, natural dyes offer a wonderfully varied range of colours and effects, and many factors can affect the results.
You can find answers to the following questions in our Blog post A Practical Guide to Natural Dyeing – How to Get the Best from Natural Dyes:
- Why do I need a mordant and how do mordants work?
- What is the method for mordanting protein fibres?
- What is the method for mordanting cellulose fibres?
- How much natural dye should I use?
- What colours will I get from my natural dyes?
- How do I modify or shift colours from natural dyes?
Experimentation with mordants, water-softness, ratio of dyestuff to liquor, and extraction agents are all factors that can affect the outcome of natural dye colours. Careful note keeping is highly recommended as you explore this process of natural dyeing textiles.
