Category: Wool

Catalpa Bignoniodes Tree - Crimson Vine type - Several experiments on Habotai silk and fine wool

The correct name for this vine tree was advised by head gardener at Overbeck Gardens, Salcombe, Devon during visit November 2024. They have a huge spread of it over wooden trellis. Large leaves turn red and deeper red/black in October/November.

Habotai (1):   Tests to add more leaf prints to previously dyed habotai silk samples. Crimson vine dye bath gave pink silk in 2023, then oxidized to silver!  This year testing red leaves with eco printing, rather than immersion dyeing, for better result of colour preservation.

Using Catalpa to enhance previously dyed silks: Steamed Red Catalpa leaves, Eucalyptus leaves, with sprinkled Amaranth flowers and Black Knight Scabious flower petals.

Silk folded up from bottom and over top layout - for a mirrored print result.  Leaves area sponged with urine as experiment to retain red pigment. (previously dyed and eco printed silk has already been alum mordanted, which may help new prints)  Bundle prepared for steaming.

Secondary additional bundle steam with Red leaves Catalpa Bignoniodes on Hab (1) areas without strong colour.

Crimson leaves Catalpa Bignoniodes on Habotai (2)

Another two previously dyed gold silks with failed eco prints to be enhanced.  Red leaves with some eucalyptus and coreopsis.  Two pieces of habotai silk 8 sandwiched.

Crimson leaves experiment - (no added urine sponging).  Fresh red Sumac leaves dipped in a solution before placed with silk: Bucket solution: (water with used alum + dollop of rusty nail iron water + dollop of urine).  Hoped to give a stronger tone to Sumac leaves, due to previous prints being pale.

SECONDARY ADDITIONAL bundle steam with red Catalpa Biognoniodes leaves on Hab. (2)

Extra Sumac leaves dipped in mordant liquid [alum water + rusty nail iron water + 2 dst sp urine].  Coreopsis Gazebo Red laced between leaves.

ADDITIONAL LEAF AND COREOPSIS STEAMING - Pre-dyed gold silk Hab. (3) test

Another gold dyed sample with secondary purple-lilac leaf prints and grey Sumac leaf prints needs MORE enhanced colour...  One Catalpa crimson leaf and several Coreopsis Gazebo Red added.  Clingfilm laid and rollered over folded silk.  Bundle tied.  Steam 20 mins. [Note: Gazebo Red stated to produce sage green; but produced purple after alum + water mordant sprinkling, combined with tannins already in the previous dye colour.] 

Crimson Catalpa leaves - Experiment on Fine Wool scarf (1). Fine wool previously dyed in comfrey.  Red leaves and small petals from Coreopsis Roulette (result violet-black).

RESULT - Red leaves turn purple on silk and wool after washing out.   Acceptable - as in 2023 these leaves made silk a similar deep pink, then oxidized to silver.  At least they produced a print.   Some leaves partly faded lilac prints which gives an interesting 'ghostly' effect. (to be tried without background dye).  The iron and possibly the urine mordanting helped to give a stronger tone.  Coreopsis Roulette (dark violet spot) prints are darker than expected, as dried flower packet states 'Olive Green'.

If silk looks a bit dry when folding into bundle, leafs are used to dab liquid over.  This aids ghostly effects where dampness is unevenly spread.  When cling film is wrapped around folded silk, air is squeezed out with rolling pin either end of folded bundle.  Folding lengths to a 4inch-6inch flat bundle, enables wrapping around stick, or swiss-rolling into itself, secured with string/piping cord.

2nd Steam with extra oak leaves (dipped in soya wax resist) - No iron modifyer.  Oak leaves as resist didn't show any difference. Steaming will have melted out the wax.  Bundle was placed in jar of red water made from soaking the Catalpa leaves several days. The wool appeared to dye red, but on washing out after 24 hours, no colour.  Wool was slightly duller, needed to change the bright yellow from 1st steam.

Crimson Catalpa leaves - Experiment on Fine Wool scarf (2)

Eco print steaming 1hr 30mins.  More leaves were positioned on scarf, close together, than previous scarf 1. Amaranthe was included in spaces between leaves, but no result seen apart from more blurred purple.

MODIFYING the eco printed wool, to change the darkness of the dull aubergine prints.  PINK by painting on lemon juice and GREEN by painting on bicarbonate of soda.