Tie-dyeing 1800s style
Ah, agrarian living! The John White House at the Washington County Fairgrounds reminds us of a simpler time that has gone away. A time when one lived off the land: growing vegetables, herbs and medicines and spinning wool and flax for cloth. Few live by these methods nowadays, but agrarian hobbyists abound with easy access to information via the internet and increased awareness of where one’s food comes from. This includes using natural, plant-based dyes made from the garden or scavenged in the fields and woods – some of which is still grown at the John White House.
Most anything can become a dye. From the fields, we obtain yarrow, goldenrod, dandelion roots and clover, for example. From our woods, ash bark, lichen (the round green growth found on trees and rocks), black willow bark, Osage orange bark and mountain-laurel leaves are harvested for making dyes. The John White House has strawberry plants, coreopsis, sage, coneflowers and other plant-based materials.
Many modern weavers experiment with natural dyes, however, the frontier housewives of the 18th and 19th centuries would have relied on tried and true materials for their dye baths. Black walnut shells for browns, onionskins for yellows and greens, indigo – true and false – for blues, and madder and cochineal for reds. Lydia Maria Child printed “recipes” for dye-baths alongside those for the dinner table in books like “The American Frugal Housewife.” Other methods would have been handed down the distaff line – from mother to daughter. Some ingredients, however, were not free for the taking. The origins of cochineal – a beetle whose crushed carcass creates rich reds with amazing colorfastness – were held secret by the Spanish, who controlled trade of the precious product. The colorfastness of these dyes meant fewer times the dye needed to be reapplied.
The natural dyeing process has many variables, including soil conditions, growing conditions, the age and quantity of plants. The humidity, temperature at time of gathering and water mineral content can alter the color produced. Additionally, the use of mordant (a metallic salt used to improve colorfastness), timing and material dyed make the experience more unpredictable than synthetic dye. These factors, however, lend to the charm of natural dyes.
On July 8, Washington County Penn State Extension Master Gardeners are taking a slightly modern approach to the tradition of natural dyeing: with tie-dyeing. Far from the psychedelic tie-dye of 1960s, our 1860s process will produce softer hues. The program will explore the natural dye process for wool, linen and cotton material using a variety of plants that can be grown in the garden. Participants are encouraged to bring something to tie-dye made of 100 percent natural material (i.e. wool, linen or cotton, size no larger than 20 inches by 20 inches). Instructions on how to care for your tie-dye material will be given to those who participate. Cost is $5 per person.
Contact the Master Gardeners to register by calling the extension office at 724-228-6881 between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Gardening questions can be directed to the Horticulture Hotline at WashingtionMG@ag.psu.edu.