Alder Cone Dye

• Alder Cones are great for dyeing with as they are easy to find and are rich in tannins so hold lots of rich colour.

• I covered the alder cones with water in a large aluminium pan and brought to the boil. Then I left on a low heat for two hours.
• I left the dye pot to sit outside in the cool air for the rest of the day and over night.

• I strained the dye using a muslin cloth

• I added some raw washed wool, spun 2ply wool and cotton fabric to the dye and topped the pot up with water to let the wool and fabric move around freely and dye evenly.
• I left the dye on a low heat for around two hours and then left it outside with a lid on for about two days, putting back onto heat a couple of times over the two days.
• Before letting the wool and cotton dry, I rinsed them thoroughly with water.

I am surprised at how light the colour turned out on the wool and fabric as the dye looked very dark, however I  do think the colour looks great on the wool.

Photo of  raw washed, alder cone dyed wool, carded.

Photo of wet felted wool (second attempt) then dyed in the alder cone dye.

🌱Kat Webb🌱