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Disposing of mordants

4/22/2012

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Well, today is Earth Day and I just wanted to share with you a few tips concerning mordants. Actually, the disposal of mordants.
The most common mordants are Aluminium (Alum), Tin, Copper, Iron, and Chrome. You can probably see that these are all metals. Some of these are quite easy to dispose of and other are more difficult.
Alum (potassium aluminium sulfate) is commonly used as a soil acidifier for plants such as blueberries, hydrangeas, and other plants that enjoy acidic soils. Generally home dyers use pickling alum (ammonium aluminium sulfate) which can  be found in your local grocery store along with other ingredients used in pickling. The same chemicals are generally recommended as soil conditioners for plants at a vastly higher concentration than the solution in your dyepot, so it is quite safe to pour out this sort of mordant under these types of plants.
Tin is another common mordant. It is usually found in tin food cans although in really small amounts.  Copper is used in agricultural fungicides, and to control algae in ponds. Rita Buchanan, the author od "A Dyer's Garden" recommends pouring out tin and copper mordants on a gravel driveway or road where "they serve no good but do no harm".
Iron is naturally occuring in various soils. Dyers can simply simmer their fibers in cast iron pots to mordant the f so it is quite safe to pour it on the driveway, too.
Chrome is NOT SAFE to dicard at home. Prolonged exposure to chrome compounds has been shown to cause respiratory problems, allergies and even cancer. If you choose to use chrome handle it very carefully. Store any used chrome solution in a plastic jug that is clearly labeled until your municipality schedules a hazardous waste collection day.
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Dyeing with onion skins

4/21/2012

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Picture
Wool mordanted with alum & dyed with onion skins
I decided to try dyeing with onion skins today. I weighed out the skins and followed the recipe, but I have to admit that I do cheat a bit. Instead of letting my dyebath cool down and then putting in my wool, I just bring my wool up to temperature in a second pot in plain water. Then as soon as I have strained out the bits, I put my wool into the hot dyebath.
I admit I was quite shocked at how vibrant my wool turned almost instantly. All the pictures of onion skin dyed wool I had seen were muted shades of gold or tan.
Note to self: Mordanting with alum makes a brilliant mustardy orange.
Anyway, I cooked it for only 5 minutes and then popped in another couple of skeins - this time I didn't mordant them and they did not turn out  as bright.

Picture
Dry skeins
Picture
My second batch... This was not mordanted.
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    Julie Hamilton

    Julie is a stay-at home Mom. She is the owner/operator of Julie's Yarn Shoppe and loves knitting, spinning, and dying her own yarn.

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