Hawthorn Berries - October - November 2025
Two pickings: October Berries picked when bright red, when leaves still on branches, and November, when only the berries are there; easier to see and pick, but they are darker red, which I think leads towards lavender results.
Hawthorn berry dyed silks
Red habotai silk result is from soaking in hawthorn berry dye bath modified with citric acid (at least 50 grams to 250ml dye liquid). Weaker lavender silk soaked in non modified dye bath, but pre-mordanted in Alum Sulphate. Weaker result because the first Erin dyed silk took most of the pigment strength.
Hawthorn dyed Erin silk result Lavender
Erin silk (right) first soak in the dye; result dark lilac on drying. This may fade to more pink. Middle silk grey result as second soak. Pink silk is darker (photo didn't catch it)
I chose Erin silk to take up the first strong pigment release, then add subsequent silks for paler colours which became grey.
Erin silk - Citric Acid - pink
Erin silk result after soaking 24hrs in citric acid modified dye bath. (separate dye bath)
Different silks and order of dye bath usage
The first soak in dye bath gives the strongest colour. Subsequent silk dyes are a shade lighter. Alum mordanted silks varied in colour tone. Erin silk (thicker slub) took dye well and result is lavender. However Habotai (thin) turned grey with just a hint of the lavender tone. Modifiers can be painted/printed on such a grey tone to get colours: or it can be bundle dyed for more interest.
Samples October and samples November
Small samples in dye bath can be very dark/bright, absorbing much pigment, such as these small Erin strips almost scarlet. I normally put samples in with the first silk soaking. Erin does seem to absorb dye better/quicker than Habotai. [Remembering that I hadn't washed/scoured the second Habotai which turned grey)