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Ah yes, organic dyes. My wife specializes in this area with her fiberwork. I've picked up a few things. You can also use: onion skins, avocado pits, ironwood,

Ah yes, organic dyes. My wife specializes in this area with her fiberwork. I've picked up a few things. You can also use: onion skins, avocado pits, ironwood, oak galls, copper, iron, and plenty more. It's awesome looking at some of her historic dyework books, realizing just how many reactions are going on per batch. And indigo - real indigo leaves and fermentation is just an absolute beauty to watch. The vat isn't deep blue - but turns that way when oxidized in air.

IntronExon 9y ago
Don’t use it of course, but arsenic (Scheele’s Green) makes a truly rich green. Ground lapis is also something else, as is real Tyrian Purple. https://www.ancient.eu/Tyrian_Purple/ https://www.ancient.eu/Tyrian_Purple/ Shells. Who figured that out?!
- jws 9y ago
  Process optimization aside, any sufficiently hungry person who would mash a snail they scraped off a rock could discover it. When exposed to air the clear liquid in the gland reacts with an enzyme also in the gland and turns purple. I haven't seen anyone mention flavor, but it is possible the dye gland is an icky part. You can find YouTube videos of people dying cloth by just walking around, mashing snails and dribbling their juices on skeins of fibers they have wrapped around their arms.
  - IntronExon 9y ago
    All good points, and I just saw some of those videos... very cool. Thanks for the information!
pavel_lishin 9y ago
I remember using onion skins to dye easter eggs as a kid.
refurb 9y ago
As a former chemist, colors were always a fun part of the work. For myself, the color of copper-ammonia complex is just stunning.[1] It's incredibly deep. I used to keep a vial of it on my bench. The spectral line of strontium is also something to behold. I was using an ICP (inductively couple plasma) torch and the color is incredibly rich. [1] https://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large/copper-ion-reaction-andrew-lambert-photography.jpg https://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large/copper... [2]https://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large/1-strontium-flame-test-.jpg https://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large/1-stro...

IntronExon 9y ago

Don’t use it of course, but arsenic (Scheele’s Green) makes a truly rich green. Ground lapis is also something else, as is real Tyrian Purple. https://www.ancient.eu/Tyrian_Purple/ https://www.ancient.eu/Tyrian_Purple/ Shells. Who figured that out?!

jws 9y ago
Process optimization aside, any sufficiently hungry person who would mash a snail they scraped off a rock could discover it. When exposed to air the clear liquid in the gland reacts with an enzyme also in the gland and turns purple. I haven't seen anyone mention flavor, but it is possible the dye gland is an icky part. You can find YouTube videos of people dying cloth by just walking around, mashing snails and dribbling their juices on skeins of fibers they have wrapped around their arms.
- IntronExon 9y ago
  All good points, and I just saw some of those videos... very cool. Thanks for the information!

pavel_lishin 9y ago

I remember using onion skins to dye easter eggs as a kid.

refurb 9y ago

As a former chemist, colors were always a fun part of the work. For myself, the color of copper-ammonia complex is just stunning.[1] It's incredibly deep. I used to keep a vial of it on my bench. The spectral line of strontium is also something to behold. I was using an ICP (inductively couple plasma) torch and the color is incredibly rich. [1] https://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large/copper-ion-reaction-andrew-lambert-photography.jpg https://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large/copper... [2]https://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large/1-strontium-flame-test-.jpg https://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large/1-stro...