Adventures in Medieval Dyeing

Our latest posts

• The Colours of Medieval Ireland II – Tree based colours
  by Órlaith
  March 17, 2024
  There are no end of ways to make colour happen on cloth and wool, the trick is rather to make them stay there. The earliest forms of fixing colours come from what Bríd Mahon (Traditional Dyestuffs in Ireland from GoldContinue reading “The Colours of Medieval Ireland II – Tree based colours”
• More indigo, Lincoln green and how not to treat wool
  by Órlaith
  February 13, 2024
  In December Eiscir Airgead in the Barony of Eplaheimr hosted a day of mead making, candle dipping and, as is becoming traditional, dyeing. On this occasion I decided to go for another indigo bath since we enjoyed our first attemptContinue reading “More indigo, Lincoln green and how not to treat wool”
• Trying to find the colours of medieval Ireland – old sources.
  by Órlaith
  January 4, 2024
  For absolutely not the first or last time I have been struggling with translation. The more it happens the more I ditch my ideas that I will never, ever try to get my brain around Old Irish and idly dreamContinue reading “Trying to find the colours of medieval Ireland – old sources.”
• A little end of year note
  by Órlaith
  December 15, 2023
  ‘Tis the season for roundups and look backs, so here I am. I’ve personally had an excellent year in SCA terms in 2023 and I think it’s safe to say that this little dyeing community is a great part of that. ItContinue reading “A little end of year note”
• Dyeing with Purple Gromwell
  by baronessmel
  December 8, 2023
  Purple gromwell (aka red stoneroot and red gromwell) is related to Borage and forget-me-not and has been used both medicinally and for dyeing for literally thousands of years, especially if you consult East Asian texts. In different cultural traditions, itContinue reading “Dyeing with Purple Gromwell”
• Elizabethan Colour charts
  by Órlaith
  November 29, 2023
  Having mentioned elizabethancostume.net earlier I was idly poking around it on my lunchbreak got absolutely sidetracked by some of the names of the colours documented on the site, not least some lists compiled by Penny Ladnier which are absolutely awesome.Continue reading “Elizabethan Colour charts”