It’s not magic, it’s science.

A series of dye swatches created using brown onion skins, modified to produce a range of different shades.

Whilst the title begs to differ, I still find natural dyeing magical! Creating colour from organic matter is a constant process of experimentation, recording, revisiting, learning and exploring. One of the things I find most enjoyable about natural dyes is the effect that different PH solutions and metals can produce when used as a modifier with natural dyes.

Typically, a modifier is a solution that the dyed fibre is submerged in post dyeing. PH modifiers are either an acid or an alkaline. An acid modifier will usually shift a red towards an orange, purple towards pink and orange towards yellow. An alkaline modifier will shift purples towards blues and greens, and yellow or red towards pink.

But the science doesn’t end there! The introduction of metallic modifiers offers an even broader range of hues to be explored. Iron is a fantastic modifier, which will usually cause colours to become duller, a process known as ‘saddening’. Aluminium on the other hand will brighten colours whilst copper will make colours appear greener in tone.

Exploring the colour variations that can be achieved through modifying is a great way to create cohesive colour palettes, as well as broaden your library of natural dye experiments.