need help with tobacco as a dye.

[carnivor way]

has any one used tobacco as a dye for canvas ? one of my next sewing projects will be a canvas hoodie . i want to dye my white canvas dark brown with tobacco , but i have no idea what im doing .

i have a small test batch on low on the stove right now , seemed like a good place to start.

do i need to add a mordant ? if so what ?

any advice at would be much appreciated . thanks

p.s. i came up empty here & Google. my search fu is lacking .

 

[FrauHilda]

I've done some small-scale experimenting using chewing tobacco. Found coffee produces about the same color with much less toxic residual to deal with. You could use the tobacco "juice" for pest spray in the garden or something though I guess, just please be mindful the stuff is very poisonous.

I used a wee bit of ammonia for mordant in the water and brewed for 2-3 days. As I recall it was a recipe for dyeing wood, but did fine with cotton.

Here's a great link to some Civil War era receipts that includes tobacco:

http://www2.uttyler.edu/vbetts/dyes.htm

 

[carnivor way]

thank you very much FrauHilda . that is a great link lots of info . i will take your advice on the mordant .

 

[Dave from Bullhead]

I have never heard of using tobacco to dye leather. I am now bery curious. Now I'm kinda excited to see how your project turns out !