making - understanding natural dyes, a series - care & maintenance
our final post in the basics and care of natural dyes is all about that last point - care. at this point in time within our (western capitalist) society, if you are using natural dyes for any of your textile needs, it’s highly likely because you value sustainability above the convenience of fast fashion. this post is written from the assumption that you give at least a few shits about the values rooted in the slow fashion movement - less waste, smaller environmental impact, social responsibility and ethics for garment workers at all stages in production (from farmers through to sewists). you also are more likely to keep items in your wardrobe for a longer period of time, potentially even expecting some items to outlive you and be passed along to future generations. these are some general rules to help you help your naturally dyed textiles to live their best long lives:
if your blocking pins are rusty or have had their protective coating removed, that exposure to metal may create rust spots on your finished project. once that has happened, you cannot change the colour back. natural dyes remain ph and uv sensitive both in and out of the dye pots. same thing goes if you splash something on your fibre - lemon juice hitting naturally dyed cloth will change the colour at a chemical level and you can’t undo it. it’s a part of the cloth’s life story, and if we’re seriously taking care of our slow fashion wardrobe, we know that the wear and tear of life is just part of reality. if you’re very precious about something or need it to stay in pristine condition for a certain period of time, use new blocking pins and stay away from anything that might splash.
on that same note, direct exposure to your skin and its oils can also change your colours. this is especially likely around your sweat glands and sweatier areas - armpits and the backs of necks are more likely to see colour changes than other areas. plan your projects accordingly. if you don’t want permanent pit stains, consider knitting a colourwork sweater with the main body in an undyed yarn and your naturally dyed contrast yarn in areas that avoid the underarm - maybe a nice contrast hem and cuff combo, or a colourwork yoke that does not extend past the armhole split.
be ok with colour shifts over time. and if something fades to a level you don’t love eventually, overdye it (or get someone else to do that for you). as long as you haven’t damaged the fibre at some stage, you can overdye an item as many times as you want. keep in mind that natural dyes behave more like watercolours than oils - you will see the underhue of whatever colours are present. use your colour theory accordingly - a yellow fabric overdyed with purple will make an expensive brown, dipped in indigo will create a teal, or dyed with pinks/reds will make an orange-ier hue. plan ahead.
store items out of direct sunlight and wash them with ph-neutral soaps.
this post is part of a larger series on the basics and care for natural dyes. they’re not designed to teach you how to work with natural dyes, but rather the why behind them. if you’re dipping your toe into the waters (maybe with natural dyeing as practiceor natural dyeing 101 or the crush scholarship), it’ll give you a helpful basis from which you can start figuring out what other resources are legit and which are full of shit. if you want the full downloadable guide, you can find it with willow’s treats in the creative coven community.