The Dyer's Guide / Being a compendium of the art of dyeing linen, cotton, silk, wool, muslin, dresses, furniture, &c. &c.; with the method of scouring wool, bleaching cotton, &c., and directions for ungumming silk, and for whitening and sulphuring silk and wool; and also an introductory epitome of the leading facts in chemistry, as connected with the art of dyeing

by Thomas Packer

To overcome the influence of the pearl-ash, which tinges the red of a yellow colour, some cream of tartar must be finely powdered and dissolved in boiling water, and added to the liquor when it is nearly cold. In the South of France lemon juice is used.

The colour, being thus raised by the cream of tartar, is now to be mixed with cold water in proportion to the fulness of the pattern desired, and the cloth must be worked six or seven times in it, as in other colours.

What is left of the colour must be taken up with some skein cotton, and dried; this may be added to water upon another occasion by saturating the acid with a solution of pearl-ash, which will abstract the dye from the cotton.

The solution of tartar will again redden the colour from the yellow of the pearl-ash; this must be done if any remain, for it will not keep in a fluid state.

We shall not here describe any other process with cotton till we have treated of wool and silk.

For dyeing cotton black, and some other colours, see the chapters V. and VI.

[7] The difference between decoction and infusion should be always carefully observed: a decoction is made by boiling the ingredient or ingredients in any liquor; an infusion is that in which the ingredients are put but not boiled.

CHAPTER III.
ON DYEING SILK.

To alum silk—The blue vat of indigo for silk—Another blue vat for silk—To dye silk violet, royal purple, &c.—To dye silk lilac—Another process for lilac—Another process for dyeing muslin, &c. lilac—To dye silk a violet or purple with logwood—To dye silk violet with Brazil wood and logwood—To dye silk violet or purple with Brazil wood and archil.