Use alum- tannin- alum mordant (see pages 67 to 69). Follow directions 

 for dyeing "Brass Wool" (above). 



CuTCH (Acacia sp.) 



Cutch or catechu, one of the most important brown vegetable dyes, is 

 the dried extract obtained from the wood of various species of acacia 

 grown in India, Java, and the East Indies. Cutch can be obtained from 

 houses supplying dyes and botanical drugs. 



Rich Brown Wool: no mordant before dyeing 



Colorfastness : good 



or 



Rich Brown Cotton: no mordant before dyeing 



Colorfastness: fair to light, good to washing 



1 pound dry wool or cotton 



4 ounces cutch 



}i ounce copper sulfate 



V2 ounce potassium dichromate 



Use the following directions for both cotton and wool. Place the dry 

 material in water and heat it to the boiling point. In a separate container, 

 dissolve the cutch and copper sulfate by boiling them in water. While the 

 textile material is still hot, transfer it to the cutch solution, stir well and allow 

 it to soak overnight. The following morning squeeze excess moisture out of 

 the material. Place it in a hot bath of potassium dichromate dissolved in 

 4 to 4}^ gallons of water, and stir. Allow the material to steep for 45 

 minutes just below the boiling point. Rinse and dry. 



Dahlia Flowers (Dahlia sp.) 



The dahlias common in flower gardens furnish a good source of orange 

 dye for wool. Yellow flowers give clearer and brighter colors than pink 

 ones although there is no difference in colorfastness. Dahlia flowers will 

 not dye cotton. 



Orange Wool: chrome mordant 

 Colorfastness : fair to light, good to washing 

 1 pound wool 

 1 to 1}^ pecks fresh dahlia flowers 



Use chrome mordant (see pages 67 to 68). Cover cut-up dahlia flowers 

 with water and boil for 10 to 15 minutes. Strain out the flowers and add 

 cold water to make a dyebath of 4 to 4:% gallons. Before immersing mordanted 

 material in the dyebath, thoroughly rinse it and squeeze out excess moisture. 

 Immerse the wool; heat to boiling; boil for 20 minutes, rinse and dry. 



85 



