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Author Topic: Dyes and Pigmentation of Period Textiles (Sources)  (Read 13703 times)

Ian

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A question about dying came up in a topic on Wool, and I didn't have an answer at the time, but since then I've found some good resources on dying and thought I would give it its own topic to make it more easily available.  Yes, I realize this topic will cause 99% of the our readership's eyes to glaze over... :)   These two books were recommended to me and I obtained a copy of each and they do not disappoint:

Dye Plants and Dyeing

A Dyer's Garden

The books are not specific to the Medieval Period, but they are detailed enough to let you know which plants would have been available to Medieval Europeans and thus which colors would be appropriate.  For example, plants native only to the New World that yield unique colors would be inappropriate for pigment use in a Medieval European textiles.  These books go in depth on pigment derived from different plants, and the colors they will yield on different fibers and even show examples of how soaking time will affect the depth of color. 

Patrick and William, as per our recent discussions on the depth of the bottomless rabbit hole, you know you've gone deep when you're worried about period specific pigments in your clothing choices ;)  Scott, I hope you see this topic, and hope it gives you a better answer to the question you posed a few months ago.

Note that Medieval dyes were not limited to plants.  Minerals, animals, metals etc were all used for production of pigment as well.

Here are some available web translations of Medieval dye manuals:

14th C - Innsbruck Manuscript

15th C - Segreti Per Colori

Also could I ask if you could recommend a reading source on medieval dyes? I understand the techniques used but not really the pigments themselves. Could be supply, sumptuary, cultural, religious or other reasons for certain colors over others in different periods and locations, and it's an area I could use more knowledge of.

Scott
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Sir Patrick

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Re: Dyes and Pigmentation of Period Textiles (Sources)
« Reply #1 on: 2015-06-24, 02:00:08 »
Patrick and William, as per our recent discussions on the depth of the bottomless rabbit hole, you know you've gone deep when you're worried about period specific pigments in your clothing choices ;) 

And oddly enough I was researching dyes last night in order to determine which colors to use on some tunics I'm getting ready to make.   ::)
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Re: Dyes and Pigmentation of Period Textiles (Sources)
« Reply #2 on: 2015-06-24, 02:35:36 »
And oddly enough for me, I've been having an urge lately to try my hand at medieval dying techniques
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Sir Rodney

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Re: Dyes and Pigmentation of Period Textiles (Sources)
« Reply #3 on: 2015-06-24, 04:10:15 »
Dyeing your own fabrics is cool.

Dyeing your own fabrics with natural materials is hard core.

Boiling your own urine for "Innsbruck black" is cause for concern.   ;)
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Sir Patrick

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Re: Dyes and Pigmentation of Period Textiles (Sources)
« Reply #4 on: 2015-06-24, 04:24:29 »
Dyeing your own fabrics is cool.

Dyeing your own fabrics with natural materials is hard core.

Boiling your own urine for "Innsbruck black" is cause for concern.   ;)

What about posting a pick of the new braies you just made for a bunch of dudes on the Internet? ;)
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Ian

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Re: Dyes and Pigmentation of Period Textiles (Sources)
« Reply #5 on: 2015-06-24, 12:38:54 »
What about posting a pick of the new braies you just made for a bunch of dudes on the Internet? ;)

For us?  Normal.  :)  and nice job!
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Sir William

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Re: Dyes and Pigmentation of Period Textiles (Sources)
« Reply #6 on: 2015-06-24, 12:45:34 »
Yea, they look comfy, Sir Patrick.  Nice job.
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Re: Dyes and Pigmentation of Period Textiles (Sources)
« Reply #7 on: 2015-06-24, 13:22:01 »
Dyeing your own fabrics is cool.

Dyeing your own fabrics with natural materials is hard core.

Boiling your own urine for "Innsbruck black" is cause for concern.   ;)

Funny you say that. I was reading up on the urine used in the dye mix & it seems only mens' urine was acceptable for the batch because of a certain enzyme needed for the process that was not found in womens'. Interesting.
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Re: Dyes and Pigmentation of Period Textiles (Sources)
« Reply #8 on: 2015-06-25, 12:57:00 »

It's a shame Jessica hasn't logged in for a while. This topic is right up her alley.
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Sir Rodney

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Re: Dyes and Pigmentation of Period Textiles (Sources)
« Reply #9 on: 2015-06-26, 03:16:20 »
Dyeing your own fabrics is cool.

Dyeing your own fabrics with natural materials is hard core.

Boiling your own urine for "Innsbruck black" is cause for concern.   ;)

What about posting a pick of the new braies you just made for a bunch of dudes on the Internet? ;)

Nice job!   8)

Man, I need a nice set of braies and hose.
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Sir James A

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Re: Dyes and Pigmentation of Period Textiles (Sources)
« Reply #10 on: 2015-06-28, 01:22:05 »
And oddly enough for me, I've been having an urge lately to try my hand at medieval dying techniques

Seems to be a one-time only thing:

Drawn and quartered
Trampled by horses
Decapitated
Black Plague
etc

(grammatically you meant "dyeing", just having a bit of fun :))
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Lord Dane

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Re: Dyes and Pigmentation of Period Textiles (Sources)
« Reply #11 on: 2015-06-28, 18:48:49 »
And oddly enough for me, I've been having an urge lately to try my hand at medieval dying techniques

Seems to be a one-time only thing:

Drawn and quartered
Trampled by horses
Decapitated
Black Plague
etc

(grammatically you meant "dyeing", just having a bit of fun :))

Yuck, Yuck!!! :) There ... I satisfied James's insatiable need for 'lol' response. :)
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Sir Rodney

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Re: Dyes and Pigmentation of Period Textiles (Sources)
« Reply #12 on: 2015-06-29, 03:20:49 »
Punctuation and spelling saves lives!

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