FLYMPH FORUM

Bill, are these natural dyes stable, have a tendency to bleed or fade rapidly?

All of these dyes are the most stable. Madder, woad (European indigo), weld. English oak bark and brazilwood. Brazilwood was being imported into Europe from Asia by the Middle Ages. The S. American country was named after brazilwood. So much Brazilian brazilwood was harvested that now the Asian version is being sold again. The reason so many flags contain red and blue is because madder and indigo are the most stable dyes. Even the best yellow dyes are somewhat less stable. That's why greens in Medieval tapestries are often faded with more of the blue component showing.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilin

Bill, the colors you've imparted to your wool are remarkable; the historical component is fascinating. It never would have occurred to me to wonder how many colors were used in creating the Bayeux tapestry. The information you're giving us is wonderful. It dovetails so well to what we know (or don't) about fly tying and life at the end of the middle ages.