Weld - Reseda Luteola is also known as Dyers Weld, Dyers Rocket, and Dyers Mignonette. It produces an excellent light and washfast yellow and is a strong clear yellow to combine with indigo for emerald and leaf greens. Traditionally cultivated throughout Europe as a yellow dyeplant it still flourishes on embankments or beside railways and roads. Weld gives strong intense yellows which are clear and bright. The strength of these colours makes weld a good choice for overdyeing with indigo to obtain teals and greens. can be dyed at 20-30% WOF for a medium depth of shade. Mordanting: use alum mordant at 15% WOF for protein fibres. For cellulose mordant with tannin at 8% WOF and then alum at 15%, or alum acetate at 8%. Dyeing: pour boiling water over the plant material and allow to stand overnight. Add more water and bring the pot to a simmer but not more than 160 F as too high a temperature will dull the yellow. Strain off the dye liquor into the dyebath. The plant material can be reuses two or three times for light shades. Add the fibre to the dyebath and simmer below 160 F for about one hour. Weld develops best in slightly hard water. Adding finely ground chalk (or a Tum’s tablet – 1 to each 4 litres of water) brightens the weld colour, especially if there is no lime in the local water. For in-depth information on natural dyes see our Guide to Natural Dyes available on naturaldyes.ca. Also available as a Printable PDF. Currently the largest sizes of natural dyes are priced at wholesale rates. Our rates reflect a growing discount as the size increases. See all sizes here.
