Cochineal - Dyes carmine, crimson to vivid purple
Raw cochineal are silvery-purple dried insects. They must be ground and boiled to extract the dyestuff and will yield a rose violet to scarlet colour, distinctive from cochineal extract.
Cochineal is polychromic, producing many colours and shades/hues that vary with the different mordants, mordant combinations and the PH of the dyebath. Colour results will also depend on the type of fibre you are dying. There are many different recipes for using cochineal and your results will depend on your choice of mordant or what you're dying, we sell both natural dyes and mordants so everything you need is on our website.
We only obtain the finest grade cochineal on the market.
If you are new to natural dyes you will discover that the process of preparing your natural dyes is as much an art as the finished results. As with anything of this nature it is best to make samples and experiment first.
