Textile dyeing Serbian tradition – Dyeing homemade Textiles was mostly women’s domestic work among the Serbs, until the beginning of the 20th century. Professional dyers got to dye yarn only for ceremonial purposes. Dyestuffs of foreign origin were primarily indigo, kermes (Worm Kermes, the name originated in Sanscrit kermi =worm), and rose madder. Synthetic colors began using towards the end of the 19th century and women, later, in the 20th century. Nevertheless, researchers are still finding traces of this ancient practice in the remote villages of Serbia.
Women’s knowledge of using plants in textile dyes
Raw materials from the environment are (root, bark, leaf, and fruit) of trees, mostly walnut, ash tree, elm…; herbaceous plants, raw or dried (Madder, Rubia, nettle, sorghum, chamomile, milkweed, comfrey…); Vegetables, green vegetables, beans, onion skins.
Catalysts for better bonding and color fastness are generally a variety of available substances. Primarily (Sierra, water with impurity from washing sheep’s fleece; rennet, i.e. May; sauerkraut brine; human urine, mostly children’s; blacksmith’s waste; wine vinegar, salt. To soften the yarn use filtered water from boiled ashes and lime water). An exceptional well-bought (substance, a mixture of Ferrous sulfate (iron sulfate FeSO4) and tannin extracts for black paint; blue stone, i.e. copper sulfate CuSo4, alum KAl(SO4)2).
Softener, a homemade liquid of diluted ash our women use as an excellent softener for all traditional yarns and finished textiles.
Textile dyeing Serbian tradition – Treatment with alum diluted in warmish water
Preparation of yarn for dyeing. First, dilute alum potassium aluminum sulfate KAl(SO4)2 in warm water. The yarn soaks and remains until it cools down. The woman takes it out and immerses in already prepared dilution coloring.
The authentic materials for the Project are numerous records of researchers of the Ethnographic Museum (hereafter E.M.), and most of all the manuscripts of Hristifor Crnilović, House Manak (Branch of the Ethnographic Museum in Belgrade) hereafter Manak’s House. Of course, through the corresponding chapters in the Catalog Reading Colors: Marina Cvetković, Ethnographic Museum, Belgrade 2023.
Recipe 2/47, Vlasotince, for using the liquid from pickling cabbage as a catalyst. The function of this liquid is to fix the coloring of the yarn during dyeing.
Before placing the dyeing mixture, the yarn first remains dripping and rests there. After taking out, the yarn has drained, but the coiled yarn, without further twisting. Then, put loosened soft yarn immersed in the prepared broth for dyeing and thus boiled. If not drained and twisted yarn, the color would be bright, not unevenly colored.
Ancient dyeing practices heritage through generations
Dyeing process: immersing the yarn in the dye mixture, heating or boiling. To achieve the desired color depending on the duration and pickling repeat the process until the desired shade. The process variants developed through multi-generational practice. For centuries, women have been creating rules for the conduct of proceedings in the domestic environment. The amount of ingredients and the duration of the process phase. That is how they achieve certain shades, stability, and color fastness.
In the case of textiles made of fibers of plant origin, linen, and hemp the colors are of a reduced spectrum, considerably milder. It is because, these fibers faintly accept the colors, and the procedures are much more complicated. Overcooked fruit pomace is among the stronger tones of organic colors on the hemp obtained.
Recipe, 6/47 Brestovac, Hemp in fruit pomace (brown-reddish color).
Women took out the yarn while the pomace was still hot and put it into the trough. They leave it there for 24 hours. Then, after throwing out the pomace, dust the whole yarn with sifted ash. There again, the yarn remains like that additional 24 hours. Finally, remain to wash and dry the yarn.
Textile dyeing Serbian tradition – Red
The most common raw material for dyeing textiles red was the dried root of rubia (Rubia tinctorum) with the addition of alum (KAl(SO4)2). In records from the 19th century, Luka Grđić Bjelokosić states that rubia mixed with wine lees in lukewarm water. Besides, the detailed description of the procedure also emphasized that for shine and nuances, immerse it in a liquid of boiled ashes.
Homemade recipe for red dye, E.M. Belgrade
One kilogram of yarn for dyeing requires 5-15 liters of water and 250 grams of dry Rubia madder root. It remains submerged for a day and night. Then boil until the water turns bright red. After cooking, the contents of the dish are left to cool down. The cooled liquid is strained through cheesecloth, poured in a handful of table salt, and boiled again. Only after boiling do women add the material for dyeing. The material must be wet but well shaken out. It is cooked for half an hour to one hour, depending on which shade of red we want. When finished cooking, the woman removes the pot from the heat and (only for dyeing wool) adds a spoonful of vinegar. Then wash the material well until the water becomes completely clear.
A recipe for obtaining red color from the dyer’s craftsman.
In the past, the dyers in Rasina obtained red dye from kermes, tin (Sn), nitric acid, wine crystalline sediment, and citric acid. It was, usually, 50 grams of nitric acid, 30 grams of kermes, 6 grams of tin (Sn), 20 grams of wine crystalline sediment, and five grams of citric acid per about 1280 gr of yarn. All this is first dissolved in nitric acid or sulfuric acid and then poured into heated water. While blending, the craftsman dips the yarn into a colored mixture. Seven to eight liters of water (1280 grams) of yarn, for darker red the dyer must increase kermes and wine crystalline sediment amount.
Textile dyeing Serbian tradition – Blue
Although prehistoric civilizations used indigo for blue dyeing, it was not available in Europe. Here an indigenous plant, the Woad (Isatis tinctoria), was the main raw material for blue pastel. The process was by grinding the leaves into a dense pulp, shaped and dried into a marketable item, like a cake. An expensive product suffered, resisting the competition of imported indigo. The increasing popularity of blue in art pushes the red palette of Dyer’s madder Rubia. The ever-increasing supply of Brazilian wood in the 18th century brought the final supremacy of indigo over pastel.
The recipe for blue color (note, Luka Grđić Bjelokosić in 1895.
Here is how women dye yarn blue. First, they wash quite a few fleeces of impure wool, then drain the water after washing. They pour that liquid into a large cauldron to boil and cook. It boils with foam, so they need a large container. After the Sierra has foamed, it is poured into a pot where they dye the yarn. It is hot for covering immediately and leaves in the sun for 3-4 days. The catalyst ferments until it stinks.
When the process finishes, they begin the dye. For the amount of yarn of 1.28 kg, there ought to be 16 to 20 grams of indigo in the pot. They put the powdered color in a cloth bag and tie it with a cloth. The woman dips the bag into the liquid and rubs it with her fingers so the blue powder slowly dissolves. Thus, adding color takes as long as possible.
Furthermore, in the same recipe, the writer gives important details of the procedure
Before all this, the yarn is washed well in soap and dried, then dipped in dye. The pot is well wrapped in cloths and warmed for maintaining warmish overnight. In the morning, they take out the yarn to drain well, hang it to dry, and leave the pot in the sun to warm it up during the day. In the evening, the woman rubs that bag with blue paint again, then sets the yarn into the pot. Then, the wrapped pot is buried like the first evening.
This is how the yarn is handled three times. When the bag with indigo is rubbed a third time, it is completely emptied and color consumed. After taking the yarn out of the pot for the third time, it is washed well in cold, clear water and dried. This is how Serbs in Hercegovina dyed yarn blue. While dyeing the yarn, they are careful not to let anything fall into the pot (crumbs of bread, a grain of salt, or something greasy). If the color is too dark, a dull navy blue can be lightened by soaking it in a mild strain (strained water in which the ashes have been boiled).
Beliefs and magic concerning dyeing in the folklore
Latently, some mystery has always accompanied coloring. Will the desired color succeed, or will it have sloppy surfaces of uneven tones? Women were horrified by domestic batik. A highly delicate was always carefully executed according to technological procedure. But besides, magic was also imprecate to help. Our research from the 19th century recorded the belief about the sensitivity of the color blue to spells. That is why they hide the coloring from others’ view. Even in 1950, Hristifor Crnilović recorded at the dyers in Vlasotinac, that the “grinding” of dyeing in life is a whimsical and troubled cult to succeed. That is why it is customary for the craftsman to spread false news before starting work. But it has to be very convincing because if the deception doesn’t work, they believe that the coloring won’t either.
Textile dyeing Serbian tradition – Black, brown
In addition to black, the black spectrum also includes shades of brown. It is widely used in dyeing folklore textiles. The most effective raw materials are the root and bark of walnut, chestnut, black alder… Over time, dyers added fixatives. Firstly, sludge with iron salts, sawdust, and vinegar. Since the 14th century, the best organic agent, dried oak acorns in artisan dyeing.
Like blue, the color black is also unstable. It was a common practice of anti-behavior and deception. But also verbal magic, in some villages of western Serbia. When immersing the yarn into the black soup, the woman says: The black night passed through the black colony and descended into my dye yarns.
Recipes for dyeing Black and Brown
Recipe, 79/47, Black color in walnut with blacky
Walnut husks boil in water, leaves are convenient, or bark of walnut branches. But the best is the root bark. When cooking finishes, strain the chowder and put a “blacky” mixture (iron sulfate FeSO4) into it. Then put it in solution and put it on the fire to boil, then cool it again. Usually, repeat the entire procedure several times until the yarn is well dyed. When it is well dyed, the yarn is taken out and washed. Wool and cotton absorb color well, but silk cannot.
Blacky is a folk term for a mixture of green sulfate with tannin extracts, from which the black color is obtained. Chemically, iron sulfate (FeSO4).
Recipe, E.M. Belgrade, Inv. no. 52477, Dyeing brown in comfrey leaves and bluestone
After dying yarn in a dark brown color in comfrey (Symphthym officinale) leaves, you can use the same liquid for other dye yarn. Adding two to three new pieces of blue stone (Copper sulfate CuSo4) is necessary. With these procedures, obtain several related shades of color. When removing previous textile material for another nuance, add further items and cook. If cooked for a longer period obtain a darker color, and for a shorter time, the color will be paler.
Textile dyeing Serbian tradition – Yellow
Since the Neolithic, in Europe, people dyed textiles yellow, using a yellow mignonette (Reseda Lutea). Ancient craft dyers also used saffron, and later Dyer’s yellow (Genista tinctoria). Among the Serbs, yellowing comes from the dried bark of Cotinus royal purple (Cottinus Coggyria); root, stem with sickle flower (Serratula tinctoria); and many other sources: peach leaves, red pepper (Capsicum annuum) greenery, and nowadays, usually onion skins.
Recipes for dyeing yellow
Recipes, Manak’s House, Vlasotince, 21, 22/47, Yellow, dyed in the apple bark or leaves
Treatment with potassium aluminum sulfate KAl(SO4)2 (after dilution in warm water). The skins peeled from apple branches (of any sort) thoroughly boiled in water. Apple leaves can also serve.
After cooking, the woman removes all the herbs and strains the liquid. Yarn, already treated with alum sulfate of potassium and aluminum immersed in the dye liquid. Boil everything together on the fire. While cooking, constantly stir with a wooden stick. When finished, remove from the heat and cover with a thick cloth to retain the steam and slow the cooling. The cooled colored material is flushed until the excess color vanishes and the water clears. If the woman is not satisfied with the strength of the color, she will repeat the procedure as needed. Adds new amounts of bark in each stage.
2/47 Liquid of diluted ash and Ferro/iron sulfate for dyeing Yellow
The first is to make a highly concentrated softener from ash and rainwater. In another caldron, make a solution of blacky mixture (iron sulfate FeSO4) (for 6 – 7 gr., 1 kg. according to the same amount of Liquid of diluted ash). The dyeing process begins with dipping the yarn in ash-liquid and soaking it well, then twisting it and dipping it in the pot. In the blacky mixture, the yarn becomes green, then thoroughly soured. Yarn taken out, women shake it off strongly and spread it out well under the sun to dry. Then, repeat the same process and dip again in the softener. The procedure usually goes two or three times, according to the required shade.
Textile dyeing Serbian tradition – Green
In today’s world, green is the color of the future – health, freedom, hope. There were several means for obtaining vegetable green textile dye: nettle, dried mallow flower, comfrey, birch leaves, and wild apple bark. Women also combined traditional recipes by dyeing yellow and then blue, resulting in green.
Recipe 23/47, Vlasotince,
Dyeing green in quince leaves
Fresh green quince leaves may soak in running water or rainwater, stand for two days, and then cook while boiling for 1 hour. After that, strain the broth from the leaves and bring it to a boil with shredded blacky (iron sulfate FeSO4 and black extracts), continuing with the boiling. The necessary quantity per kg of yarn for dyeing is a nugget like a plum.
Recipe E. M. Belgrade, Inv. no. 52488
E. M. Belgrade, Inv. no. 52488, light green in the pepper fresh waist and catalyst.
Pluck green peppers, put stems, branches, and leaves in a cauldron, and cook all together. When boiling finishes, throw out all the greenery. A catalyst is a piece of blue stone (copper sulfate CuSo4) bean-sized per twenty liters of color liquid). After boiling for a short time, leave it covered to cool slowly. If necessary, repeat the procedure until getting the desired green color.
Gloves from the village of Tanda near Bor, eastern Serbia in 1969. Collection of the Ethnographic Museum, Belgrade, originating from village Tanda, near Bor, northeast Serbia, hand-knitting, in 1969. That`s also a good example of preserving the tradition of domestic organic dyeing. The colors are from pepper leaves, green, and yellowish from walnut, but only red from synthetic dye.
Thematic programs on the occasion of the exhibition Reading Colors
The Eco-Workshop performance, created in cooperation with the open-air museum “Old Village” Sirogojno, is integrated into the exhibition Reading Colors. In the niche of the exhibition space is a segment in which exhibits are samples of wound yarn, marked with technological data from the experimental practice of the workshops of the Museum in Sirogojno. The posters have succinct legends about each color and vivid images of the herbal raw materials used for a particular color. This place makes us want to live surrounded by textiles in colors of natural origin.
Our Hosts and associates performed numerous occasional programs on subjects of traditional organic dyeing. A particular point of interest was a link to the future of ecological dyeing textiles.
On Natural Wool Dyeing and Hristifor Crnilović’s Contribution to this topic
On 08. 02. In 2024, Manak’s house celebrated the birthday of Hristifor Crnilović (1886-1961). Marija Vujčić and Marina Cvetković held the presentation On Natural Wool Dyeing and Hristifor Crnilović’s Contribution to this topic. On this occasion, a series of workshops will be held in Manak’s house.
The following Workshops performed dyeing based on recipes from the manuscript materials of Hristifor Crnilović, which he collected in his native Vlasotinac and the surrounding villages in 1950. As well as according to the materials of the Ethnographic Museum collected in the following decades.
Textile dyeing Serbian tradition – The Three Letters Project on how the Walnut and the Sheep met
Another project on the same occasion was: The Three Letters Project on how the Walnut and the Sheep met, by Marija Vujičić. A series of Workshops, following the program of the Reading Colors exhibition (Saturdays, February and March).
Here, Contemporaries gained unique experiences of ancient recipes!
Printing plants on fabrics
Regarding March 21, the Ethnographic Museum in Belgrade joined in celebrating the Day of Colors. With hospitality a promotional workshop for children and parents Printing plants on fabrics, with textile designer Biljana Karovska.
In short, my desire for optimism!
In the previous post, I gave a general insight into the meaning of colors in the textile heritage of Serbia through the thematic exhibition Reading Colors. And now we have some recipes and examples of efforts to revive organic dyeing. Sporadically, through professional workshops, awareness of the importance of the heritage of natural coloring in connection with a healthier natural environment is also being raised here. Therefore, our modernity sees organic dyeing with herbs as a source of ideas for the textile industry. Fortunately, research into the application of organic dyes in the future is not a local but primarily a global initiative.
I stay strongly along with these tendencies. From now on, I am warmly waiting for you, until the announcement of the next interesting thing from the Textile Culture.
Sincerely, Branka on Textiles
