We prepared the fabrics and yarns with a solution of aluminum triformate at ca. 50°C for around 2 hours. We dyed ca. 2 kg of wool with half a basket full of dandelion flower heads, as seen in the picture. First we brought the flowers to boiling temperature in around an hour, then added the wool in two baths for 20 minutes each. The second bath yielded an only marginally paler lemon than the first one.
Afterwards we removed as many flowers from the dye bath as possible, left a small piece of fabric and four strands of yarn in the water and added some iron and acetic acid. This turned the pale yellow into a pretty pale green.
Unfortunately this dye is far from being as light resistant as for example birch leaves, so whoever will own and wear some of the fabric should spend as little time in the sun as possible. Unlike us when collecting the dying material...
After all this hard work at the dying pot and in the garden we decided to relax ourselves some more. So we enjoyed the remaining daylight with a glass of wine and some new literature which we got hold of in Hedeby.
