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Woad and how to make the dye

Posted: Wed May 16, 2012 6:53 pm
by matowakan
I have been growing Woad for a couple of years and now I would like to try and make the dye.
I have looked up various sites and they all differ slightly on how to make it and whether to use soda ash or cream of tartar for example.
Does anyone have a site they recommend on how to make Woad dye or any tips on making it?

Re: Woad and how to make the dye

Posted: Thu May 17, 2012 8:17 am
by sleepyowl
They used to mix it with urine too

Re: Woad and how to make the dye

Posted: Thu May 17, 2012 8:20 am
by gregorach
I don't know the details of the process, but I do know that it stinks so badly that woad-makers were always forced to live and work well away from any neighbours...

Re: Woad and how to make the dye

Posted: Thu May 24, 2012 2:28 pm
by matowakan
Maybe I will give that a miss for a while and investigate the soapwort!!!!

Re: Woad and how to make the dye

Posted: Thu May 24, 2012 2:44 pm
by gregorach
If you want to give it a try, this might be the place for you: http://www.woad.org.uk/html/extraction.html

There's no mention of a hideous stench, so that might be related to medieval processing techniques, which I believe involved some sort of fermentation...

Re: Woad and how to make the dye

Posted: Mon May 28, 2012 9:09 pm
by matowakan
Thanks Dunc for that site, I am def going to give it a go now!
Regards Fi

Re: Woad and how to make the dye

Posted: Tue May 29, 2012 5:44 pm
by Zech
I know nothing about this, but I know who does, and she doesn't seem to have spotted this thread yet.

http://colouritgreen.wordpress.com/2011 ... ad-dyeing/

Re: Woad and how to make the dye

Posted: Wed May 30, 2012 10:32 pm
by red
Zech wrote:I know nothing about this, but I know who does, and she doesn't seem to have spotted this thread yet.

http://colouritgreen.wordpress.com/2011 ... ad-dyeing/

aha! i was just thinking.. i know i know!