Dyeing with Cochineal

Here's a quick little photo journey of dyeing with cochineal.

First, mordant your fiber; I used alum. (note kitty prints...they were helping).

Next, tye your dyestuff in an old bit of cotton cloth or some cheesecloth.

Add it to a large dyepot full of water, and simmer for a while.

Add your fiber, and let it simmer (very gently) for a while, until you like the color.

Gently rinse fiber until the water runs clear, and hang to dry.


Repeat with more fiber until the dye material is exhausted. I got four different colors, with four different types of fiber, from one set of dyestuff. I did not change mordants or do anything different; the colors simply change with different fiber blends and as the dye materials give up their color to the fiber.

And then you have beautiful fiber! This is a cashmere/wool blend yarn.

And this is a silk mawata, or spinning hankie.