[MR] bleaching black wool fabric

[Terri Morgan]

> Good gentles, I have a non-period problem: I can't
 get my black dye to go away. I have a piece of black
> wool that I planned to use for an early period tunic.
> I know that black is an inappropriate color, and I
> don't care what color it ends up (anything but black)
> so I tried bleaching it.
<snip>
> Many thanks, Margaret Wolseley

   We believe black was rare in the 'early period' but not unknown -
certainly as long as there were black sheep, we'd have black wool. The
problem usually is with colour fading in the sun so quickly that it was
considered an expensive thing to keep/make. Black clothes quickly turned
reddish-brown fadey-old looking rather quickly.
   Be that as it may, a black wool with red stripes in it was found in a
Viking-era Dublin excavation so I'd say - use it with pride, you have a
"rare and expensive" piece of cloth there. One can only suppose that you are
quick successful in your lifestyle such that you earn honours and riches. :)


Hrothny