Feverfew for dyeing?

 I checked in "Craft of the Dyer" by Karen Casselman, and feverfew is not mentioned. I'd just go ahead and try it on a 4oz or less sample, that's my strategy. 

Post pictures please if you try it.

Jennifer

Evelyn, I haven't tried feverfew, but most of what I find says that with chome mordant it produces a bright green, but I don't use chrome.  Here is a webpage that may be helpful, and when you locate something about feverfew, it states it gives a yellowish green.  They also don't use chrome, so maybe with alum??  http://www.tartansauthority.com/tartan/the-growth-of-tartan/tartan-production/colours-and-dyeing/kitchen-dyeing 

If you decide to go ahead and experiment, please show us your results!

I read the tartan page  - thank you.  At least it seems as though it was used.

 I have only found the mention of a chrome mordant also, but also that feverfew contains tannins so I will try a sample with no mordant as well.

The St. John's Wort is ready for picking and is another I am planning to try.

Here is the first test of feverfew.

approx. 650 gms feverfew to make the dyebath

100 gm. skein of alum/CT mordanted wool, simmered 1 hr. left in the dyebath to cool.

I will split the skein and try some modifiers next.

Is is beautiful!  I hope you're happy with the results!

Thanks.  I am very pleased.  looking forward to trying the modifiers now.  Hope it is colourfast as well.

The wool is some I had mill-spun  (Carstairs, Alberta)  from our own sheep a number of years ago (no longer have sheep)

There is so much colour in the dyebath still I will try a skein of silk, and then continue to exhaust with wool.  I did use a pretty high proportion of dyestuff to yarn, but the result has a nice depth.

It looks much like the yarn I'm using - wool from my local farmers which I sent to MacAusland's in Canada.  I have a lot of it, so it's nice to experiment with.  It's also almost impossible to felt, being from primarily Hampshires and Dorsets.

Feverfew with modifiers  (the colours in the photo seem a little washed out - hard to take good consistant pictures to get true colours)

Left to Right

Copper Sulphate, Iron, Acetic Acid, No Modifier

I now have a skein of alum modanted 8/2 reeled silk in the dyebath.

I like the cooler tones of both samples on the left.  There's a lot of yellow greens out there with only alum as a mordant.  I may have to change the rules on my project and modify some of mine. 

i especially like the copper - such a soft green.    I am going by recipes in the Jenny Dean book and like the way the modifiers can make such subtle changes.  Though that iron is pretty strong.  Now I will put the sample card into the sun and see how fast the feverfew colour is. 

The skein of silk is out and drying - beautiful pale yellow-green colour.  Once it is dry and I have done some sample modifications will put up more photos.