Walnut Hulls, Black {Juglans nigra) 



Both the hulls and shells of the black walnut are used for dyes. The 

 hulls must be collected green, and can be used fresh or dried for future 

 use. Many dyers believe that the dye prepared from dried hulls is more 

 potent than that from fresh ones. The dye can also be prepared from 

 green hulls covered with water and stored away from the light. The color 

 seems to darken when the hulls are stored in this way. 



Dark Brown Wool : no mordant 

 Colorfastness : good 

 1 pound wool 

 ^4 peck green hulls from black walnuts 



Cover the hulls with water and soak them for 30 minutes. Boil them for 

 15 minutes, strain out hulls and add cold water to make a dyebath of 4 

 to ^)i gallons. Before immersing wool in the dyebath, thoroughly wet it 

 and squeeze out excess moisture. Immerse the wool; heat to boiling, boil 

 for 20 minutes, rinse and dry. 



Using alum-mordanted (see pages 67 to 68) wool in this recipe will 

 brighten color, but reduce its lightfastness. Overboiling wool in a walnut- 

 hull dyebath will make its texture harsh. 



Drab Cotton: alum mordant 

 Colorfastness: good to light, fair to washing 

 \ pound cotton 

 Yi peck green hulls from black walnuts 



Use alum mordant (see pages 67 to 68). Follow directions for dyeing 

 "Dark Brown Wool" (above). A darker drab is obtained if the dyed 

 material is placed without rinsing into a boiling bath containing )^ to Y^ 

 ounce of ferrous sulfate (copperas) and 4 gallons of water. Boil this solution 

 for 5 to 10 minutes, rinse and dry. 



Walnut Hulls, Persian or English {Juglans regia) 



The green hulls can be used immediately after they are collected. They 

 can also be dried and used later as needed or covered with water and 

 stored in a wooden keg, protected from the light. 



Light Brown Wool : no mordant 

 Colorfastness: fair 

 1 pound wool 

 1 peck dry Persian walnut hulls 



Cover the hulls with water and allow them to soak for 1 hour. Heat to 

 boiling, boil for 1 hour, strain out the hulls, and add enough cold water 

 to make a 4 to 4}^ gallon dyebath. Before immersing wool in the dyebath, 



105 



