Hi Everyone,
I thought it was about time I introduced myself and this is a subject where I may have something to offer.
I am Debra and I have to admit I belong to a C13th group, but my obsession with clothes from all era’s led me to this group.
Three years ago I finished my degree and my final project was an educational kit for children, teaching them about aspects of historical dying, weaving etc. – I had help from a very nice Lady from Regia Anglorum who provided me with a selection of dyed samples extant from 800-1600+. She hand produces her dyes, growing all the plants etc. required and uses recipes from the period
Blues – A royal blue can be achieved from Woad with mordants of stagnant urine and wood ash, this also produces some wonderful midrange and pale blues.
Reds – A bright red and orange reds can be achieved with madder with mordants of alum, club moss or oxalic acid. The best red (scarlet) was achieved with Kermes and a mordant of alum.
Greens – A deep dark green and a mossy green (quite khaki) was achieved with weld overdyed with woad with mordants of stagnant urine and wood ash. This also produced a pale bright green and a peppermint
green.
Purple – A royal purple was achieved with woad overdyed with kermes, a bright purple with woad overdyed with Rose Madder and also Lichen with a mordant of stagnant urine.
Yellow – Both pale and bright yellows produced from weld with a mordant of stagnant urine
Orange produced from Lichen with a mordant of stagnant urine.
Of course the result changes according to the fabric, silks will always be more vivid than wools and linens, but some of the wool and linen samples she sent were quite bright and striking.
Finally both twill and plain weaves are acceptable for C12th, I have some woven period reproduction samples of wool that you would swear were very fine linen. I got tired of being told that modern fabrics are superior to historical fabrics, you only have to see the examples of Egyptian linen in the British Museum to know this just isn’t so and my tutor kept rambling on about skills lost during the Dark Ages – I’m sorry one skill you would not lose is the ability to cloth yourself to the best of your ability
Sorry to ramble on, I hope this helps if I can get DMC colour cards I will post the equivalents
~ Debra / Deb Baker
Message #899, March 12, 2003