Mordanting Protein Fibres with your own unique Copper Mordant

Mordanting

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This is the process of preparing your fibre to receive the dye on a chemical level. It usually involves the use of a metal compound which helps the dye adhere and stay onto the fibre. It also helps to stabilize the dye so that it has less chance of fading through sunlight or washing.

Always ensure when dyeing of any nature, to keep all saucepans and utensils used in the process, separate from your general cooking supplies. You do not want to cook with anything that has been used to mordant your fibres. You should also wear gloves while handling your chemicals.

As with iron mordant, copper mordant is quite easy to make yourself, although it does take a little longer than iron, and can therefore test your patience a little.

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Washing your fibre is the first stage of your fibre preparation. The technical term is scouring and is slightly different depending on whether you are going to dye protein or cellulose fibres.

Make your own Copper Mordant

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You can purchase chemicals to make copper mordant, but it is so easy to make your own, why not give it a try.

All you need is a large glass jar (this one is 3 litres) , some water, vinegar and some copper objects.

You can really use anything that is made from copper. If you don’t have anything lying around the house, try a salvage yard or some second hand markets. As long as your copper fits into your jar it will work.

So now all you need to do is put your copper objects into the jar and fill with water and vinegar. I started this jar off with 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water. Leave it out in the sun, and within a few weeks you should start to see your water changing colour to blue. It did, however, take over 3 months to get this jar to the colour blue it currently is.

As with the iron mordant, when I use the copper water, I refill the jar .

Mordanting–What will you need?

Saucepan- large enough that your fibres can move gently through the water

Water

Washed Fibre- Your fibre should be wet when added to the pan. You can mordant your fibre straight after washing and rinsing. If you have previously dried your fibre after washing, place it in a bowl of water for half an hour to get the cells open and ready for the mordant.

Copper water as made above

Thermometer

How to use you Copper Mordant on protein fibres

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The process is pretty much the same as with your alum mordanting.

Step 1: Place enough water in your saucepan so your fibres can move freely

Step2: Add your copper water and stir.

Step3: Gently add your wet fibres and take to the stove. Place a thermometer into the pan.

Step 4. Turn your stove top on and allow the water to get to 80 degrees Celsius (176 Fahrenheit).

Step 5. Leave your fibre for 40 min at 80 degrees. Do not allow your water to boil! If you are mordanting wool it will start felting when in boiling water.

Step 6. Turn your heat off and leave the pan on the stove top to cool down. You want your fibre to cool down gradually.

You can leave the fibre in the saucepan overnight for a bit of extra time in the mordant.

Rinse your fibre. As you can see in the photo, your wool will come out with a slight green/blue tinge to it. You can now move on to dying your fibre or let it dry before putting it away for future use.