Date: Thu, 30 Nov 95 11:23:22 PST

From: kyoung@iptcorp.com (Ken Young)

To: mscalora@itsnet.com

Subject: Osage Orange Dye



Mike:



When I made my dye I used a cup of sawdust in a 1-gallon pot of water. I

brought it to a boil and threw in the cotton hand-towel for tie-dying.

The water was yellow at first (same color as the dust).  The towel did

not take dye until the pigment oxidized and the water turned brown. This

took a couple of hours.  I kept adding water as necessary. After a

couple of hours more I had to go to bed, so I pulled the towel.



The towel looked sort of puke-yellow-orange-brown-yuck color because it

was covered with sawdust.  When I rinsed it was revealed to be a nice

light orange color.  Tye-dying worked.



I understand that If I had left it in longer it would have gone to

orange, then burnt orange, then russet brown.  All shades are

attractive. You are supposed to be able to dye lots of cloth once you

get a pot of dye.



Ken Young