Sari Silk Project - Dyeing day

Yesterday was mordanting - very boring. I spared you the details. It is basically soaking the fibers in a mordant that is non toxic and helps the fiber receive and hold onto the colors.

This is dye of choice and below is the swiped info from the dye company I bought it from - left out for business reasons ;-) WOF means Weight of Fiber.

Cochineal – is the most important of the insect dyes. The females of Dactylopius coccus colonize the prickly pear (nopal) cactus native to Mexico, Central and South America and the Canary Islands. Peru is currently the primary export country, shipping
out over 4000 metric tons annually. This dye is found mostly in food, drugs and cosmetics. Cochineal has excellent light and washfastness and produces a powerful range of fuchsias, reds and purples. The colour changes with the mordants used and pH of the dyebath.
Although expensive, it is very concentrated. The bugs have a high dye content (carminic acid) and go a long way. You will need only 3-8% WOF for a medium depth of shade.



Dyeing: The colourant is first extracted from the dried insects. Gently grind the insects in a blender or use a mortar and pestle to crush them to a fine powder. Put this powder into a saucepan and cover with three inches of water. Boil for 30 minutes. Strain the liquid and set aside. Place the cochineal pulp back in the saucepan and again cover with water and boil for 30 minutes. Add this decanting to the first decanting. Repeat 2 more times.

Some dyers will then keep the remaining pulp in a jar of water for several weeks and use in subsequent dyebaths.