Like dyed freshwaters?

[Nathan Reed]

Camel urine! ! Where in the world did you learn that!?

 

[aggiep]

FMG had and article a couple months back in one of their catalogs as well..

I have tried it and have yet to get my hands on good indigo .. but to get a really good indigo using any kind of urine ( I hear Camel uring is the best, helps give teh best blues) I am all for the craft but even I will draw the line and no I am not going to pee in a cup either I have been told that is an option...

Ick....


Pattye Like the stuff fun and trendy!

cheers
Ash

Ash come on urine was a big thing in renaissance times. In fact patinas are the first go green lets compost, lets recycle art form. In Shakespeare's time metalsmiths would take a barrel fill it with sawdust. That was the start of modern recycling. That after they were finished with it would eventually be spread out on the fields. That is the start of composting. The guys would recycle further by peeing in that barrel for a few weeks. What ever you stuck in that barrel was going to turn green. So what I always say is that we need to teach Al Gore to pee in a barrel. Just a tidbit of my metalsmithing history and lore I do all summer long.

 

[Satine De La Courcel]

Camel urine! ! Where in the world did you learn that!?

Urine is used as a binder for the coloring. genearlly used as a mixer not the dye itself. urie is an acid and is a good for mordant to bind teh coloring to the material.


from Two thousand years of Textiles book. "The material was thoroughly rinsed to remove surplus dye and the unppleasant smell owing to the use of Urine as a binder, that of camels being the most effective. "

I Am working on tryng to find copy of someof teh best medieval and earlier dye recipies... Pliny's notes on "ocean and earth" dyes, and the Papayris Anastasi which is arround 3 A.D. and the Polithco/Plithico (depending on whom one asks). for the dyers information and recipies....

Here is what the Innsbruck manuscript (so wanting my own translated copy) says about urine for green Dyes

To make a green dye, take verdigris and boil it in urine and mix alum thereto and a portion of gum arabic, and dye therewith; to make the color lighter, take the same color and add orpiment and mix it with alum, cooked in lime water (vinegar?) and dye therewith.

I think it's amazing how much is interpreted from one skill to another I do tectiles and you do metalsmithing and hwo they in effect "relate" to each other


HOWEVER I am still NOT going to pee in a cup! LOL....

cheers
Ash

 

[Amrita]

Oh my! This certainly is most educational! Thank you for all the information about the role of urine in dyes, Ash and Aggie! I had no idea! Very enlightening!

 

[Heidi]

Modern-ish day version pertaining to fibers: Back in the '80s, we would soak new Levi's in a vinegar and water solution to help keep the indigo dye more "set." Also, an acidic solution is used to set various wool dyes. But I swear I have Not used urine on any yarn or fabric for this purpose. White vinegar does work. I have also used a weak white vinegar solution in spray form to pre-patina some copper for a building exterior to demonstrate the process to a client.

 

[aggiep]

Its the uric acid in urine that is the active ingredient. Many acids will give different colors. I have about 7 books on the subject of just metal patinas. Quite fun to do, and not really hard. Just get a good pair of nitrile gloves just in case you use the nasty stuff.

 

[Mervione]

If I remember correctly Ayla uses her urine to bleach some leather until it?s white in one of the books in the "Earth?s children" by Jean.M Auel. Those books can be quite educational.

 

[Satine De La Courcel]

Modern-ish day version pertaining to fibers: Back in the '80s, we would soak new Levi's in a vinegar and water solution to help keep the indigo dye more "set." Also, an acidic solution is used to set various wool dyes. But I swear I have Not used urine on any yarn or fabric for this purpose. White vinegar does work. I have also used a weak white vinegar solution in spray form to pre-patina some copper for a building exterior to demonstrate the process to a client.

I remeber doing my mom doing that. I still do that with some dyed Fabrics now. Especially anythgi with a tendencey to run both for store bought or hand-dyed sometines a heavy salt and white vinegar bath

Yes we are quite the educational list aren't we..

Aggie,
I still love teh way tigns work for different crafts.. each gives a different or sometines diliar result.. really makes me wodner how much they had backwards compared to now... Woudl love to see your library.. I am only at the tip of the iceberg with Dyeing and my interest is strictly textiles.. I am so in awe of those who do Metalsmithing /working.. is is a georgous craft! Such tallent and knowledge base we have here....

cheers
Ash

 

[aggiep]

Aggie,
I still love teh way tigns work for different crafts.. each gives a different or sometines diliar result.. really makes me wodner how much they had backwards compared to now... Woudl love to see your library.. I am only at the tip of the iceberg with Dyeing and my interest is strictly textiles.. I am so in awe of those who do Metalsmithing /working.. is is a georgous craft! Such tallent and knowledge base we have here....

cheers
Ash

I helped raise a Navajo girl during the school year. Her family has sort of adopted me and my family into theirs. They have a lot of great recipes as it were for dying wool. They use what is at hand on their land to do it with. I love watching them.

 

[Slraep]

I helped raise a Navajo girl during the school year. Her family has sort of adopted me and my family into theirs. .

Now that is interesting.

Slraep

 

[aggiep]

Slraep, I had Sandy during the school year. It was better than the gov. boarding schools. She taught us a lot about her culture and made the best Navajo Tacos. During the summer months she returned to her family and we would visit them. Sandy's parents are very traditional Navajo, still ranching goats and sheep. Her mother makes necklaces out of pinion berries. I'll be teaching some of the family metalsmithing to give them a more stable way to make a living.

 

[Satine De La Courcel]

AggieP,

Sounds fantastic! What a way to leran about another culture and lots of new stuff. sharing skills.. I may jus be a little old fashioned but I really love this kind of stuff.

cheers
Ash