ANST - natural dyeing ... reds & purples

[Deborah and Robert Wade]

>> BINGO!  You win the dyer's award of the day!  The bug you are referring
>> to is cochneal [sp] and gives BEAUTIFUL purples.  The prickly plant
>> fruit gives off really pretty Magenta's...at least on acryllic yarns.  I
>> tried that one years ago before I  got into natural dyineg.  The fruit
>> is really good to eat too.
>>
The chemical from the cochineal bug was also obtain (though not in as great
a quantity from Kermes - a bug native to North Africa.
Cochineal (South American)is a pH reactive dye and is still used in some
biochemical assays for that purpose.  Under slightly acidic conditions it
produces a whole spectrum of reds including scarlet and heraldic red.
Under basic conditions the colors are in the purple ranges which are also
more common if the bug was collected from cactus growing Texas.  
>> Moriel***
>

>If so, what did the medieval Europeans make with them? What about the
Middle East
>or Africa? Did any of these products get transported to Europe?
>
There is a wonderful history on the import of cochineal found in several
texts on dyeing.  The abbreviated version is:  
1. South American Indians conquor each other and part of the tribute
demanded is in cochineal.
2. Spanish conquor the Indians and recognize a good thing.  They begin to
import cochineal to Spain.
3.  Wool and silk are dyed with cochineal and exported to England.
4.  The Dragoons wear cochineal dyed redcoats during the American Revolution.


Rhiannon



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