[Regia-NA] [Fwd: *WH* Fw: [12thcenturygarb] Dye Colours (]

[Carolyn Priest-Dorman]

Magnus forwarded:

>This is interesting and useful info if you are looking for acurate (at
>least
>in the 12c ) colors for embroidery or cloth.

The group of "accurate" 12th century colors is a great deal larger group 
than this set of DMC numbers.  It is important to recall that more than one 
result is possible using a particular dyestuff and mordant.  Accordingly, 
madder plus alum might not always result in the DMC 7920 color the original 
poster suggests.  I've gotten a range of more than a dozen reds just with 
one bag of madder, one bag of alum, and a single consistent water 
source--and that's without even *trying* to vary the shades.  Also, many of 
the colors from natural dyes don't even appear in the DMC chart:  they're 
too complex and subtle.

Despite its chemical nature, dyeing is an art, not a science--rather like 
cooking.  While helpful, lists of "equivalents" only sketch in a few basic 
lines rather than the whole complex picture.

         TH, *still* trying for that vivid dark green with iron and weld ;>


Carolyn Priest-Dorman              Þóra Sharptooth
  http://www.cs.vassar.edu/~capriest/thora.html