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Naturally Historically Dyed Black Silk Ribbons 1/2" 13mm Wide Ancient Iron Gall Recipe Renaissance Medieval Colonial Civil War Reenactor SCA

Naturally Historically Dyed Black Silk Ribbons 1/2" 13mm Wide Ancient Iron Gall Recipe Renaissance Medieval Colonial Civil War Reenactor SCA
Naturally Historically Dyed Black Silk Ribbons 1/2" 13mm Wide Ancient Iron Gall Recipe Renaissance Medieval Colonial Civil War Reenactor SCA
Naturally Historically Dyed Black Silk Ribbons 1/2" 13mm Wide Ancient Iron Gall Recipe Renaissance Medieval Colonial Civil War Reenactor SCA
Naturally Historically Dyed Black Silk Ribbons 1/2" 13mm Wide Ancient Iron Gall Recipe Renaissance Medieval Colonial Civil War Reenactor SCA
Naturally Historically Dyed Black Silk Ribbons 1/2" 13mm Wide Ancient Iron Gall Recipe Renaissance Medieval Colonial Civil War Reenactor SCA
Naturally Historically Dyed Black Silk Ribbons 1/2" 13mm Wide Ancient Iron Gall Recipe Renaissance Medieval Colonial Civil War Reenactor SCA Naturally Historically Dyed Black Silk Ribbons 1/2" 13mm Wide Ancient Iron Gall Recipe Renaissance Medieval Colonial Civil War Reenactor SCA Naturally Historically Dyed Black Silk Ribbons 1/2" 13mm Wide Ancient Iron Gall Recipe Renaissance Medieval Colonial Civil War Reenactor SCA Naturally Historically Dyed Black Silk Ribbons 1/2" 13mm Wide Ancient Iron Gall Recipe Renaissance Medieval Colonial Civil War Reenactor SCA Naturally Historically Dyed Black Silk Ribbons 1/2" 13mm Wide Ancient Iron Gall Recipe Renaissance Medieval Colonial Civil War Reenactor SCA
Naturally Historically Dyed Black Silk Ribbons 1/2" 13mm Wide Ancient Iron Gall Recipe Renaissance Medieval Colonial Civil War Reenactor SCA
$4.00
Out of Stock

Shimmery black silk ribbons, plain woven, are dyed with an historical, multi-step process. As these are dyed with natural products by hand, there are some variations in shade and tone along the length of the ribbon. Please examine the above photos carefully to see examples of the expected variation. These ribbons are 100% silk habotai (plain weave), 13mm or approximately 1/2" wide.

Oak galls are of extremely ancient use in the dye trade as a tannin source. A tannin source plus an iron source have been used to dye a textile black since the most ancient of times, as demonstrated by abundant archaeological evidence. The Plictho, a 1548 dyeing manual with recipes collected in the various Italian states over the prior 17 years, gives many recipes that dye black using only these ingredients. The methods for this dyebatch are based on a combination of several recipes from this single source, but are reflective of much, much older practices.

This color has good fastness to gentle washing. Lightfastness is complex. Tannins darken in the sun, so while it won't visibly fade so much, it is susceptible to loss of physical strength over time. In five years it will likely be all right, but in fifty... less certain.

Black silk was (and is!) expensive and high maintenance, which is why you saw it worn in so many portraits in centuries past. If you are re-enacting or recreating historical textiles, these are an excellent choice for incorporation into your modern artifact. These would be very accurate for contrasting color "guards" on the skirt hem or bodice edge, lovely for lacing on Renaissance sleeves, beautiful as hair ribbons, gorgeously authentic for bodice lacing, bows, and frills, trim on a Viking age kit, etc!

PRICING IS PER YARD.