Madder is a dye plant which produces a rich orangey-red color and paler orange-red versions in after dyes. Historically this is the color we associate with the red color of the British Army's coats --the famous *red coats.* It is also the predominant red seen in *oriental* rugs --those produced in countries with Arabic or Mid-eastern textile traditions. Until the mid-nineteenth century and the invention of synthetic dyes, alizarn red the artists color was extracted from madder roots.
While there are many types of madder plants, the variety used most often for dyeing is *rubia tinctorum.* The color alizarn is extracted from the roots of the plant between the core and the woody root bark. Most often dyers encounter dried roots to be chopped or ground for dye extraction. The chopped roots are simmered *NOT BOILED* to extract the color. Many dyers report getting browns or oranges rather than red, and boiling the roots is often the culprit. It also is a color sensitive to PH preferring basic rather than acid conditions. Many old recipes for madder dyeing call for adding *slaked lime* (quicklime)to the pot to get a proper red.
A basic recipe for dyeing madder calls for: alum for a mordant spring water a few pinches of washing soda madder roots wool skeins to equal one pound
Bobbie Mcrae of COLORS FROM NATURE recommends soaking the chopped roots over night to soften and extract color then simmer for 5 to 6 hours. I add a few pinches of washing soda. Pre-soak the wool in alum. Simmer pre-mordanted wool until desired shade is reached. I've used this technique successfuly many times.
Madder can be grown as a perrenial in most places. In Turkey and other Arab countries it grows as a common useful weed. Seeds can be obtained from many sources. I'll list some at the end of the article. Another common weed that carries lesser concentrations of alizarn pigment is lady's bedstraw a common weed in the northern USA. Its a relative of madder and its roots can be chopped and used like tintorum, but in double amounts.
The FIBERNET BBS had a good FAQ on madder dyeing which included many old time recipes to get the "correct tones." You can still get it from Ron Parker's FIBERNET site at: http://www.angelfire.com/mn/FiberHome/
Some of the suggestions include water with slaked lime or wood ash water, a copper kettle, and simmering and not boiling.
Good luck with this touchy yet interesting dye product.
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