The most important stage of natural dyeing

I've been dabbling in natural dyeing for a few years now.  Only recently have I begun to feel confident in my ability and more importantly, confident in my results.  Understanding where to concentrate my effort - what the most important stages of dyeing are - has helped tremendously.  

Dyeing is complicated.  And it's not complicated at all.

It's one of those tasks where we become lost in analysis paralysis.  Complicated chemistry, record keeping, perversion.  How much yarn can this many plants dye?  Will I have enough for my project?  What is the right way to...

Some suggest that mordant (making the yarn receptive to colour) is the most important step.  Others tell me that accurate measurement is the key.  And yet more people say that record keeping is paramount.

I want to believe them.  After all, I've dyed so little.  But I wonder... 

Dyeing in the garden inspires me with colour

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Record keeping - The theory behind this is we can reproduce what we made before.  But here we are, working with natural materials.  Nature by her very essence is constantly changing.  The weather, soil, air, sun, and wind all have their effect on the colours these plants produce.  Every time we dye with natural ingredients, we are promised a different colour.  I wonder if anything beyond the most basic record keeping is strictly necessary (although, it can of course be fun).

Mordants - I've discovered that there are a great variety of mordants and many dyes will affix to the yarn without any mordant at all.  The sheer range of alum I've seen recommended in dyeing from 2% weight of fibre (WOF) all the way up to 22% WOF.  I wonder if precision is really that vital when it comes to mordanting yarn and fibre.

Ratio of dye to yarn - I've had very bad luck following directions.  I carefully weigh everything to the decigram and at best, I get a pale imitation of colour.  However, the times I simply stuff my dye pot full of leaves or flowers, simmer a while, then add yarn, I'm greeted with vibrant results.  I wonder if being less precise is actually the key to dyeing.

​So what is the most vital part of dyeing in my opinion?

washing indigo dyed yarn to remove excess dye

The most vital part in dyeing yarn, is final step - washing the yarn.

Why do I think this stage is the most important?  Because this is the stage that teaches the most.

Being gentile at this stage is abusive to your future self.  One quick rinse and hang the yarn to dry and you risk using that yarn, putting loads of work into a project, and first time through the washing machine, all the dye washes out.  It didn't take.  Or worse, it bleeds and stains the rest of the project.  

I once wove a set of towels from hand dyed linen.  The arbutus dyed linen was a gorgeous brown, and the carrot top dyed linen, a lovely lime green.  But one trip through the washing machine, and all the carrot top washed out.  It looked okay, but not as good as it would with the green.
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finally the water rinses clear and I can hang the yarn to dry

With this batch of indigo dye linen, I had a shocking amount of dye wash out.  But that's good because I would rather it wash out now, then when the recipient washes their towels. 

 After the first few rinses I was feeling bad about using so much water, so I took it out to the garden and poured the water into the center of my keyhole garden. 

I discovered a joyful thing: dyeing in the garden is inspirational, the water nurtures the plants and the colours of the flowers, inspire new ideas for the next project.