Moderator: the_power
In dyeing, the Alder’s bark is used as a foundation for blacks with the addition of copperas. Alone it dyes woollens a reddish colour (Aldine Red). The Laplanders chew it and dye leathern garments with their saliva. The young shoots of the Alder dye yellow and with a little copper a yellowish-grey useful in the half-tints and shadows of flesh in tapestry. The shoots cut in March will dye cinnamon, and if dried and powdered produce a tawny shade. The fresh wood yields a pinkish-fawn dye and the catkins a green. The leaves have been used in tanning leather. They are clammy and if spread in a room are said to catch flea’s� th� sticky glutinous surface.r/quote]r/quote]
It does say the bark is used in the foundation of black. So perhaps you need to over dye.
It's Oak 'galls' give you the black I think. You'll have to find Oak trees that the relevant wasps have laid their eggs on. There are several types of wasp that give different forms of galls and I've not found which ones are good for ink/dying. Some are flat on the leaf, but seem to be rust coloured mostly, and some are spheres with a little exit whole in the side. These are dark so more likely what's needed.
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest