Butternut Color Card

The color card below reflects the results of dyeing the butternuts. I treated them the same way one would treat walnuts. The butternuts were collected in the Fall while the hulls were still green. They placed in the freezer until I was able to use them. No mordant was used on the wool.

As illustrated in the chart, the same dye bath was used twice. The first batch resulted in very dark, rich colors, while the second batch was much lighter.

References:

The Art and Craft of Natural Dyeing, Liles, J. N., The University of Tennessee Press, Knoxville; 1990, pp. 174-178.

Dyes from Lichens & Plants, McGrath, Judy Waldner, Van Nostrand Reinhold Ltd., Toronto, 1977, pg. 56.

The Ashford Book of Dyeing, Milner, Anne, Shoal Bay Press, Christchurch, NZ, 1998, pg. 29.

E-mail: handspun@stny.rr.com.