Onion Skins {Allium cepa) 



The dry outer skins of onion bvilbs can be used for coloring textile 

 materials. Easter eggs also take on a bright golden hue when dipped in 

 onion skins boiled in water. 



Burnt-Orange Wool: alum mordant 

 Colorfastness: fair 

 1 pound wool 

 10 ounces dry Yellow Globe onion skins 



Use alum mordant (see pages 67 to 68). Cover the onion skins with 

 water and boil them for 15 minutes. Strain skins out of the dye liquor 

 and add enough cold water to make a 4 to 4)^ gallon dyebath. Before 

 immersing mordanted wool in the dyebath thoroughly rinse it and squeeze 

 out excess moisture. Immerse the wool; heat to boiling; boil for 30 minutes. 

 rinse and dry. 



Brass Wool : chrome mordant 

 Colorfastness : fair to light, good to washing 



Use chrome mordant (see pages 67 to 68), then follow directions for 

 dyeing "Burnt-Orange Wool" (above). 



Osage Orange or Bois D'Arc {Madura pomifera or Toxylon 



pomiferum) 



The Osage-orange trees that grow abundantly in Southwestern U.S. 

 provided the Indians of that area with dyestuffs in the 19th century before 

 their introduction to commercial dyes. This dye material is being used 

 once again by some Navajo weavers for coloring rug materials. The wood 

 can be used in several forms: as wood chips, as a liquid extract, or in solid 

 or powdered form. Directions below are for using powdered extract. 



Gold Wool: chrome mordant 

 Colorfastness: fair to light, good to washing 

 1 pound wool 

 y2 ounce Osage-orange extract 



Use chrome mordant (see pages 67 to 68). Dissolve the Osage-orange 

 extract in 4 to 4)4 gallons of water. Before immersing mordanted wool 

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

 Immerse the wool; heat the solution to boiling, and boil for 30 minutes, 

 rinse and dry. 



Yellow-Tan Wool: alum mordant 

 Colorfastness: good 

 1 pound wool 



li ounce Osage-orange extract 

 Yf, ounce potassium dichromate 

 y^ ounce acetic acid, or 6 to 7 tablespoons vinegar 



98 



