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Regia Anglorum Natural Dye Project

Over the past few years a number of Regia members have been involved in a project of dyeing natural fibres using natural dyes. The aim has been to produce a set of authentic colours that all Regia members can use to compare against commercially available fabrics when creating their own kit.

Dyed wool
Dyed wool

The tables below detail the results of various combinations of dyes and mordents. Along with each combination is a unique Regia code (which can be cross-refenced to further information about the dye job, e.g. water pH, dye vessel used, etc.) and an Appletons colour/code. You can obtain Appletons shade cards from www.appletons.org.uk/colours and use these in conjunction with the tables below to identify authentically coloured fabrics.

The dye project submission form is available for download here:

[NB: * indicates inauthentic components of the dye process.]

Yellow

Appleton Colour/Code Natural Dye Mordent Yarn Colour Produced Regia Code
Bright Yellow 3/4 Weld Alum White wool Strong R001
Heraldic Gold 4 Weld Alum White wool Dark R002
Honeysuckle Yellow 2 Bearberry leaves Iron, oak galls White wool Apricot beige R003
Honeysuckle Yellow 2 Lady’s Bedstraw Alum Wool Creamy apricot beige R014
Autumn Yellow 3 Persian berries Tin Wool Strong egg yolk R023
Autumn Yellow 3/4 Persian berries Tin and vinegar Wool Vivid egg yolk R024
Bright Yellow 3 Weld Alum Wool Acid yellow R025
Brown Olive 2 Onion skins Tin and iron Wool Dull golden yellow R026
Lemon 996 Woad over Weld - Wool Pale lemon R039
Bright Yellow 2 Woad over Weld - Linen Very pale yellow R042
Lime 997 Woad over Weld - Linen Lime R043
Bright Yellow 1/2 Weld Alum Silk Pale citrus yellow R058
Bright Yellow 3 Weld Alum Wool Acid yellow R059
Bright Yellow 3 Weld Tannin and alum Linen - bleached Acid yellow R060
Autumn Gold 4 Weld Tannin and alum Linen- unbleached Dark acid yellow R061
Honeysuckle Yellow 5 / Heraldic Gold 3 Weld Tannin and alum Hemp Dull mustard R062
Heraldic Gold 3/4 Onion skins / Turmeric Copper sulphate and salt Wool Mustard R063
Autumn Yellow 4 Onion skins Tin Wool Dull egg yolk R064
Custard Yellow 851 Madder / weld Alum Wool Pale custard R072
Autumn yellow 5 Onion skins Alum Wool Orange R077
Honeysuckle Yellow 2 Black Lovage Alum Wool Creamy yellow R078
Autumn Yellow 5 Turmeric - Wool Inyerface orange R079
Honeysuckle Yellow 2 Mixed onion skins Alum Wool Creamy apricot beige R080
Heraldic Gold 3 Mixed onion skins Alum Wool Dull mustard R081
Brown Olive 1/2 Mixed onion skins Alum Wool Mustard R082
Bright Yellow 2 Weld Potash alum and chalk Wool Bright pale yellow R083
Heraldic Gold 4 Weld Potash alum and chalk Wool Bright yellow R084
Bright Yellow 1/2 Weld Potash alum and chalk Wool Pale yellow R085
Bright Yellow 3 Weld Potash alum and chalk Wool Bright yellow R086
Bright Yellow 3/4 Weld Potash alum and chalk Wool Dark yellow R087
Honeysuckle Yellow 4/5 Onion skins Tin Wool Dull old gold R094
Honeysuckle Yellow 3 St John’s wort Alum Wool Light custard R095
Custard Yellow 851 Poplar buds Chrome* Wool Apricot pale R096
Autumn Yellow 3/4 Poplar buds Chrome* Wool Dingy egg yolk R097

Red

Appleton Colour/Code Natural Dye Mordent Yarn Colour Produced Regia Code
Flame Red 5 Madder Alum (tinned copper) Wool Light orangey red R020
Terracotta 4/5 Madder Alum (tinned copper) Grey wool Pinky reddish brown R021
Paprika 2 Madder Alum Silk Dark terracotta R044
Flame Red 5/6 Madder Alum Silk Copper pink R045
Coral 5 Madder Alum Wool Pinky red R046
Paprika Madder Alum Wool Dark terracotta brown R047
Dull Coral 854 Madder Alum Wool Dark salmon R048
Paprika 6 Madder Alum Wool Bright rust red R049
Flame Red 8/9 Woad over madder - Wool Pinky rust R050
Flame Red 6 Woad over madder - Linen Dark copper pink R052
Terracotta 6 Madder Tannin and alum Linen Pinky reddish brown R065
Flame Red 7 Madder Tannin and alum Hemp Dark copper pink R066
Coral 3 / Dull Coral 854 Madder and weld Alum Wool Burnt orange R073
Flame Red 7 / Paprika 4 Madder Iron Wool Russet R088
Terracotta 3 Madder Iron Wool Salmon R089
Terracotta 2 Madder Iron Wool Dull salmon R090
Paprika 2 Madder - Wool Bright russet R091
Flame Red 6 Madder - Wool Terracotta pot R092
Flame Red 5 Madder - Wool Copper pink R093

Green

Appleton Colour/Code Natural Dye Mordent Yarn Colour Produced Regia Code
Brown Olive 2 Bearberry leaves, overdyed weld Iron, oak galls White wool Dark mustard R004
Brown Olive 1 Weld Iron water White wool Greenish gold R005
Early English Green 8 Woad overdye weld Alum White wool Baize R006
Drab Green 2 Dock Copper sulphate Wool Washed out golden beige R015
Mid Olive Green 2 Ground ivy Copper sulphate Wool Washed out olive R016
Mid Olive Green 1 Young bracken leaves Chrome* Wool Washed out olive R018
Drab Green 1/2 Weld Copper sulphate Wool Washed out golden olive R027
Jacobean Green 2/3 Bracken young leaves Copper sulphate Wool Dull olive R028
Grey Green 1 Woad - Wool Very washed out blue green R035
Grass Green 3 Woad over weld - Wool Fresh grass R036
Early English Green 3 Woad over weld - Wool Grass green R037
Lime 997 Woad over weld - Wool Lime R038
Early English Green 2 Woad over weld - Silk Washed out yellow green R040
Grey Green 2 Woad over weld - Silk Very pale green
Drab Green 4/Olive Green 3 Weld Alum (iron) and cream of tartar Wool Olive green R075
Grass Green Weld Alum (iron) and cream of tartar Wool Light green R076
Drab Green 3/Olive Green 2 Weld Alum (iron) cream of tartar Wool Light olive R099
Jacobean Green 2 Elderberries Chrome* Wool Dull ivy green R100

Brown

Appleton Colour/Code Natural Dye Mordent Yarn Colour Produced Regia Code
Elephant Grey 6 Woad overdyed madder - White wool Dark brown grey R012
Iron Grey 8 Woad overdyed madder - White wool Slate brown R013
Fawn 1 Oak Chrome* Wool Golden fawn R017
Golden Brown 5 Madder Alum, in tinned copper Shetland moorit wool Red brown R019
Biscuit Brown 5/6 Woad over madder - Silk Copper R051
Red Fawn 3 Walnut hull - Silk Mid brown R053
Biscuit Brown 7 Walnut hull - Wool Chestnut R054
Putty Groundings 6 Walnut hull - Linen Milky coffee R055
Brown Olive 3 Onion skins Copper sulphate Wool Old gold R067
Biscuit Brown 1/2 Onion skins Iron Wool Dark fawn R068
Chocolate 2 Elderberries Alum Wool Nondescript beige R069
Biscuit Brown 1 Walnut (All) - Wool Fawn R074

Blue

Appleton Colour/Code Natural Dye Mordent Yarn Colour Produced Regia Code
Bright China Blue 9 Woad overdyed madder - White wool French navy R007
Bright China Blue 5 Woad - White wool Wedgwood R008
Bright China Blue 6 Woad - White wool Denim R009
Bright China Blue 7 Woad - White wool Dark denim R010
Bright China Blue 8 Woad - White wool Navy R011
Turquoise 1 Woad - Wool Washed out turquoise R029
Turquoise 2 Woad - Wool Pale turquoise R030
Turquoise 2 Woad - Wool Turquoise R031
Sky Blue 4/5 Woad - Wool Light denim R032
Sky Blue 1 Woad - Linen Baby blue R033
Peacock Blue 1 Woad - Wool Washed out blue green R034

Purple

Appleton Colour/Code Natural Dye Mordent Yarn Colour Produced Regia Code
Mauve 5 Woad over cochineal - Wool Mulberry pink R056
Mauve 3 Woad over cochineal - Wool Dull mulberry pink R057

Pink

Appleton Colour/Code Natural Dye Mordent Yarn Colour Produced Regia Code
Flame Red 3 Madder Alum (tinned copper) Wool Salmon R022
Dull Rose Pink 1 / Flame Red 3 Elderberries Salt Wool Dull pinky salmon R070
Dull Mauve 1 Elderberries Salt Wool Pinky beige R071
Flesh Tint 3 St. John's Wort Alum Wool Flesh R098