Osage
Maclura pomifera
Osage consists of the shredded wood of the tree Maclura pomifera. Osage contains a yellow dye similar to fustic and black oak and yields clear, true yellows to soft yellow greens that have a high light and wash fastness. It yields good depth of shade at 15-30% WOF. Osage grows throughout the south and central United States. The tree was originally planted to help with wind erosion, the wood was used to build fences and was hard enough for wagon wheels. Osage has overgrown many areas and is being cut down for firewood. Our supplier rescues these logs and chips them for us or soaks them in water and through a solar process extracts the liquid concentrate.
See the MAIWA GUIDE TO NATURAL DYES
Mordanting: Use alum mordant at 15% WOF for protein fibres. For cellulose, first mordant with tannin at 8% WOF, then either 1) use alum at 15% with soda ash at 2% or 2) use aluminum acetate at 8%.
Dyeing with the extract: The liquid extract may be added directly to the dyebath. Use at 5-8% WOF for a medium depth of shade. When using the extract, the yellow develops fairly quickly, leaving goods in the dyebath for extended periods of time will result in a duller colour.
Dyeing with the wood: When using the osage sawdust, use at 15-30% WOF for medium shade. Soak it in water for a few hours or overnight. When soaking is complete, bring this bath up to simmer and cook for an hour. Strain off the dye liquid and use for the dyepot. Add the fibre and simmer for about 45-60 minutes.
Options: Dyeing in a copper dyepot or adding a few clean copper pennies to the dyebath will brighten the yellow. Adding 2-4% iron to the dyebath will produce olive greens. Over or under dyeing with indigo yields bright emerald and leaf greens.
Below: Osage 30% WOF
Below: Osage 30% WOF and Iron 2% WOF
