Madder Dye Recipe   (Oranges to reds to plums)

		Weigh out chips and dust to 200% of the dry fiber weight. Place the madder in a stocking. In a large glass jar or dyepot, soak the madder-filled stocking in water for 2 days.
		In a large dyepot, heat enough water to cover the fiber to 120. Tie off the top of the stocking and add it plus the solution from the 2 day soak to the heated water. Mix thoroughly and bring dye solution to 185 for 2 hours. Remove stocking.
		Add the warm, wetted fiber to the dyebath. Bring the dyebath slowly up to between 140 to 180 and simmer for 4 hours. Remove the dyepot from heat and let the fiber cool in the bath overnight, stirring occasionally.
		On the second day, remove the fiber, wash and let dry.

	About this Recipe:
	This recipe produces a variety of reds from a orange to a plum return and is one of the more difficult dyes. The one drawback is that you have to babysit the pot for 4 hours to maintain the 140 to 180 temperature. If the dye bath temperature drops below 140, you have a very weak uptake. If the dye bath temperature is allowed to go above 200, you'll see a very brown return. The finished dye is pretty stable. I recommend using it as a base dye with a brazilwood top dye using copper for the morant. When dyeing, start with warm water and slowly raise the temperature. By doing this, air in and around the fiber is expelled and the fiber is softened. Make sure the fiber is thoroughly wetted before you immerse it any bath. This will ensure a smooth uptake of the bath and prevent splotches. Always start your mordant or dye in a small jar of water then, when fully dissolved or after a overnight soak, add it to the pot. Make sure that there is ample room in the pot. Move the fiber around several times to make sure the fiber is dyed evenly. Let the fiber cool in the bath, rinse then squeeze gently to remove excess water and hang to dry or while still wet, use the fiber immediately.