Rhubarb roots can yield a red or orange natural dye depending on the species

 
Difficulty Level
Average
Time Required:
6 hours

Here’s How:

1. Chop the rhubarb roots into small pieces and place into a large dyepot filled with water.
2. Bring the water to a boil and simmer the rhubarb roots 1 – 2 hours to extract the color.
3. Add clean, pre-mordanted wool to the dyepot.
4. Reheat the dyepot to just below simmering temperature.
5. For clear yellow shades, turn off the heat, and let the wool sit in the dyepot overnight to absorb the color.
6. For darker shades of yellow/green simmer the wool for x-about an hour. Then turn off the heat and let the wool absorb the remaining color.
7. After dyeing, remove the wool, rinse in cool water and let dry.

Tips:

• To get coral/red shades, add an alkaline modifier (washing soda) to the dyepot.
• An iron afterbath will give olive shades. 

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  Natural Dye Books
  Wild Color, Revised and Updated Edition: The Complete Guide to Making and Using Natural Dyes
  Botanical Colour at your Fingertips
  The Modern Natural Dyer: A Comprehensive Guide to Dyeing Silk, Wool, Linen and Cotton at Home

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  A Weaver’s Garden: Growing Plants for Natural Dyes and Fibers

  The Rainbow Beneath My Feet: A Mushroom Dyer’s Field Guide
  Harvesting Color: How to Find Plants and Make Natural Dyes
  A Heritage of Colour: Natural Dyes Past and Present by Jenny Dean (2014-06-10)

• 
  Wild Color, Revised and Updated Edition: The Complete Guide to Making and Using Natural Dyes
  The Art and Craft of Natural Dyeing: Traditional Recipes for Modern Use

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