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Thanks so much for watching!

You're welcome!

You're welcome!

Yes, there is! I actually live in Hawai'i which has a strong Asian influence, and this is the case even more so in my neighborhood. Our home was built/owned by a Japanese elder. Many of the structures around and in the house still reflect Japanese and Buddhist culture. It's a wonderful place, and I'm grateful! Thank you so much for watching.🙂

@@tinnaz1 I haven't tried either and hadn't heard of cucumber skins producing black. I'm definitely willing to try that! Also never heard of lamp black until researching it just now. I've got charcoal powder, but it seems to be different from that. I'll look more into it. Thanks!

I forgot to comment about salt. From what I've read and experimented with, table salt can be used to help the dye particles transfer from the dye bath to the fabric, yet it doesn't function as a means of fixing the dye to the fabric. I've put it in dye here and there with no results of it helping the fabric hold color, but I'm actually currently doing an intentional experiment with this process to better understand how it works as an aide for natural dyes.

@@plantdyefortextiles Thank you for your kind replies. I have very little experience with these things actually. I ran across the black dye options while doing some research a few years ago. I have boiled cucumber skin and it did produce a nice dark color which was surprising. When I heard about lamp black I had to look into it. I realized I had washed it off my pots and pans for years. The best results were from camping or cooking outdoors on a fire pit. Lately, I've been watching how to gather and process fibers. It's all very interesting!

Thank you! All of the commercial alum that I've purchased and used has been white. A quick search brought up a couple brands being sold online that are tan. It may have something to do with production. I know that when I make aluminum acetate (different from the alum we're talking about kzfaq.info/get/bejne/hNClZ9CC3pmxpoE.html), it can come out tan/brown if I heat it too long. As far as I've been able to tell, it still functions the same.

@@plantdyefortextiles thank you 🤗🤗. I did a search and info was vague. Anyway thanks again.

@@tabithajones108 no problem! I was curious when you mentioned it, since I've never seen tan alum. However, I do only buy mine in 1 or 2 different grocery stores here where I live. It was interesting to see it in a different color.

@@plantdyefortextiles on the pack it says Wild Alum root powder ( herbs & spices ) 🤔 tan - for the white - I do not remember packaging

Ooooh, now that sounds interesting! I've dyed with black beans, but I didn't see a mordant. I want to try that now!

Thanks for your comment! I made a video a while back about aluminum acetate (if that's what you're referring to: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/hNClZ9CC3pmxpoE.html .) I've definitely found it to be more effective when I do decide to use mordant--which honestly isn't all the time for my experimentations with color. Alum is talked about so heavily in most books and a lot of videos, and I've read only one or two remarks in my research that AA + tannin is a better combo for cellulose. I just researched and learned about aluminum triformate. Very interesting.

You can use alum for cellulose like cotton and paper ...its fine. I literally soent the day doing plant dyes with alum modenting some and iron oxide on others ....and no mordant..... the alum ones were slightly darker than the non mordented ones and the iron oxide the darkest but it sure did something. Aluminum will adhere to cellulose just fine. Why do you think it doesnt work?

@@serendipidus8482 Although I've had better results combining alum or aluminum acetate and tannin, I have also personally experienced good results with alum only. In my readings I've seen this mentioned about alum a few times, and it's been stated that, when used alone, alum isn't the *best* option for cellulose fibers in terms of color retention over time (something I'm not always concerned with in my experimentation). . But it'll work ro some extent, for sure. I like your approach of trying various methods. That'll give you some good info.

@@serendipidus8482because it is well known that alum (Pas) is meant for protein fibers.

@@plantdyefortextiles yes time will tell. I have some really nice vibrant colours all very earthy.. im going to get some more tannin rich things I have walnut shells bit ive no way to crush them. Im trying to get a dark blacky brown. Somone said elder bark but ive got a few jars of various mixtures vinegar and magnesium and iron and plain and old bark and new bark and its not doing anything except a vague khaki. Any idea for a good dark blacky brown or even greyish black? Thanks! We really need to keep all this alive!