Directions for Dying Yarn

Directions for dying yarn, both wool and cotton. Colors include black, purple, green, and blue. Recorded in the recipe book of Caroline Hancock Preston.

Manuscript Collection, The Filson Historical Society.

Mss. A P937

To Dye Yarn Blue —
Have a kettle that will contain 12 or 14 Gallons
Sunk in the Garden untill the Ground nearly
comes up to the edge of the kettle, Then have
A wide Plank or cover to fil the kettle quite
close to prevent rain from getting in to wett-
en the dye — have the chamber lye saved
in the months of April or May & let it
stand & add 2 pounds of Indigo put in a
strong coars Linen Bag and 2 pounds
of Madder in 2 other Bags -- so
that the Madder & Indigo may be
raked out ------- (Put in your yarn[)]

To Dye Black —
Take Black Walnut root scrape the root
& take the inside Bark -- & Boyl it untill it
becomes very strong - then take out all the Bark
with an open ladle and put in your Thread or
yarn _ & let it Boyl slow for two or three hours

you can add a spoon ful of Copres[?]
after you take out the Bark —.

To Dye Yarn

Take Chestnut Oak Bark Sasafras Roots Plumb
Bark - & boyl it very well in a Coper Kettle
You must prepair your yarn by washing it
out of strong soap suds - and after your Dye is boyld
down sufficiently - Take all the Bark out with an
open ladle - then add a little copres - & when you
put in your yarn lay a layor of fresh Bark &
a layor of yarn - this will make a fine Purple
Put in a good quantity of Elder Roots
& continew to moove the Hanks with a
stick while it is over the fire
or if you wish to dye Cotton Fustion
Allum watter must be made very strong & ring out
your cotton & then put it in dye & mind to
boyl it in Coper -- in the Dye made as
above directed

To Dye Woollen

Hickory Bark Persimon Bark - Sasafras roots
with a little Copres

Another maner to Dye Yarn Green

Dye your yarn Pale Blue & have it washed out
of the Blue Dye quite clean-
Then make a strong Dye of Hickry bark
Black Oak bark & Crab Apple bark and Boyl
all together well - after it is quite strong take
out the Bark and add several pounds of Allum
then Put in your Blue Yarn and stir it
Well in a Coper Kettle ---

To Dye Cotton Green

dye your cotton Blue then wash it clean & and
dip it in Copres & set it in Lye - if you find
it is not deep enough wash it clean and
put it again in the Blue dye

To Dye Cotton Fustian colour

Black Oak Bark Hickory Bark Boiled in a Coper
Kettle add the Allum and dye your cotton yellow
hang it out and dry it - then add your Copres
and dip it untill it gets the shade you
would like----