Magical blue dye

[vbetts]

The Diary of Lucy Merry Pier, August 12, 1852 through October 16, 1863. Texas Collection, Baylor University, Waco, Texas. [The Pier family lives in Travis, Austin County, Texas]

After the war started, Lucy Pier and her household starting spinning, dyeing and weaving. She tries a number of different dyes, but I'm intrigued by "magical blue"--is that something specific? just descriptive of "blueing for coloring" or indigo? I didn't think that blueing actually dyed. She will later harvest native indigo.

Monday Aug. 25th 1862—Sis and I and Mrs. Darnman went to the store got one large box 2 doz. small boxes of blueing for coloring—came home and commenced preserving the peaches. Made 16 lbs. Sis made 20 lbs. and Mrs. Darnman 20 lbs.
Wednesday 27th [1862] cut a buff shambre gingham dress for Miss Ellen yesterday coloring blue with magical blue—got a beautiful color had 7 lbs ½ and took 15 boxes.

Vicki Betts

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Magical blue dye

Hallo!

Dunno.

"Magical Blue" may have had special significance, or just personal meaning to the writer. I have not read of it before.

Likely not related, but I am fond of this blue dyeing:


The Civil War Journals of Wilson E. Chapel Co. F 13th Regt. Ill Inf. from Cortland, Sycamore, DeKalb Co. Ill." published by the DeKalb Co. Historical and Genealogical Society.

Volume II: March, 1862 –– July, 1862

"Saturday, June 14
Today we received our pay from Government. Our paymaster has sold all his change to Sutlers and it is almost impossible to get a script changed. I went up town and got some cloth for shirts which I have got to make myself. Fortunately, I am able to make them having learned to sew when a boy.
Monday, June 16th
I began one of my shirts; worked till tired, and then went up to town. We are very short of rations again. We do not draw a single thing from Uncle Sam except Coffee and hard bread and some of the once despised bacon would be thankfully received now. But what we lack in rations is made up in drills and dress parades. I do not think we have enough exercise in camp, so I had as soon drill.
Tuesday, June 17th
Today I finished my shirt and they all say it is well made. Weather very hot, and I do not know what we shall do when we get one mile farther south as we shall probably be and that too in the scorching month of July.
Thursday, July 3d
Weather fine and tolerably cool. We now have an excellent place to camp with plenty of good water An article we have not had before in a long while. I was busy all day in cooking and making a shirt for one of my mess mates.

Volume III: July, 1862 - January, 1863
Saturday, July 19th
Today I have been quite busy coloring my shirts. White shirts show dirt too easy for a soldier to wear. We have now drawn plenty of rations and begin to live some as we used to in Rolla, which seems very good to us; but would be considered very poor living by our friends at home.
Thursday, July 24th
Today commenced drawing our new uniform. Drew our hats which are very good ones, and also drew shoes and socks and expect the rest in a few days.
Wednesday, Aug. 13th
Had a grand review and inspection of our Brigade by Gen. Carr. We have a new Regiment added to our Brigade, the 5 - 6th15 Ohio. We saw them today for the 1st time. They are the crack Regiment of Ohio, and are certainly a splendid Regiment. This was the grandest review we have ever had, and it was acknowledged by all that ours is the finest Brigade in the army of the South W. Yesterday we drew our new uniform blouses and are once more in full uniform.
Thursday, Sept 25th
We drew white flannel shirts, but as we do not like white shirts, Babcock and I got some maple-bark and copperas and colored ours and so many of the boys wanted their colored, we concluded to make a business out of it and have already colored over 40 shirts and have got as many more as we can color tomorrow. Dull about town and camp.
Friday, Sept 26th
Today I am 23 years old. This is the second birthday I have passed in the service and I am afraid I shall pass yet another in the service. Everything is bustle and confusion as we are ordered to get ready to march nobody know where. Our Company was detailed to unload boats, but I did not have to go. Worked nearly all day in coloring shirts. Some think we are going Batesville and some to Little Rock; but I hope it is to neither place.
Saturday, Sept 27th
Our trains are all loaded and we have drawn every thing we need and are ready for a march. Today, finished my third month''s cooking and I am tired enough to quit. Worked coloring shirts for the last 3 days and have colored at least 95 and hope we are about through with it, but many more want theirs colored and if we stay here we shall do it.
Sunday, Sept. 28th
Spent most of the day in writing. The day was misty and lowering. Our marching orders have been countermanded and there is now as fair a prospect of our remaining here another month as ever and we are glad of it, for none of us liked the idea of marching westward again.
Monday, Sept. 29th
Had 20 more shirts to color which with cooking, Battalion Drill and Dress Parade occupied most of my time. The hospital-boats ""D.A. January"" & ""H. Choteau"" took our sick up the river. Our Company sent 5, two of them my mess-mates, and the Regiment sent 70.
Tuesday, Sept. 30th
Colored about 20 shirts. Charlie commenced helping me cook. In the eve., Ally M. Cash39 came up to see me, had a very pleasant chat. I learned that we shall soon, probably, leave for Ironton, Missouri.
Thursday, Oct 9th
A very rainy and cold day. One year ago today we started for Springfield from Rolla , and it was just such a day as this has been: cold, windy & rainy. But we can keep more comfortable now than we could then, marching in the rain and sleeping on the cold, damp ground. We now begin to need our overcoats and blankets very much, which we left in Springfield, Missouri. Gen. Wyman has sent for them and we shall have them soon.
Friday, Oct 10th
Charlie and I worked nearly all day cooking and coloring shirts. Weather, cold enough to be very uncomfortable for us, although, if we had been up at the North all Summer we should think nothing of such weather, as there has been no frost here yet.
Sunday, Oct. 19th
We were called up before day light to get ready to go over into Mississippi on picket guard again. We crossed the river about 8 o''clock. We found lying upon the bank the dead body of one of the pickets49 who had been shot the night before by Guerrillas. We took our posts and remained until next morning without seeing any signs of the enemy. The night was chilly and we suffered some with the cold as we have no overcoats yet.
Wednesday, Oct 22nd
Today we colored 30 shirts, which, with the cooking, kept me pretty busy. One of our forage trains was captured with about 90 men of the 5th Illinois Cavalry. The rebs are plenty a short distance west from here and I believe if it were not for our gunboats, they would attack us here. Indeed, they say we dare not come out from the cover of our gunboats and fight them.
Thursday, Oct.23
Felt rather unwell but kept at work cooking and coloring. Our Company was on Brigade chain guard. Weather cool but not uncomfortable.
Friday, Nov. 7th
At 7:00 A.M. we were relieved by the 29th Wisconsin and returned to camp. The 30th Iowa came in today. The blankets which we left in Springfield came in good order today; but they will not let us have our gray overcoats, but we are to have blue ones instea."

[Spinster]

Re: Magical blue dye

Blueing will provide substantial color--being a person who has made every reenacting mistake twice, I can certainly attest to this.

In my once or twice a year laundering of white petticoats, I have certainly been too liberal with the blueing bag, and suffered blue petticoats that took 4 or 5 modern detergent, bleach and hot water cycles to return to normal.

I can certainly see an enterprising woman of the period making up, say a nice blue sprigged muslin in this manner, or freshening an older dress, especially a sheer, as it takes some vigorous laundry to strip the blueing out. While not a true dye, it will pass for one in hard times.

[faabala]

Re: Magical blue dye

Maple bark and copperas... Add a big mess kettle and you have a great demo for a living history.

[Michael McComas]

Re: Magical blue dye

I've been dying to try that maple and copperas recipe ever since I first heard of it.

Anyone know the exact amounts of the ingredients?

[Spinster]

Re: Magical blue dye

The best answer on the maple bark is -- a LOT.

These boys seem to describe a one-pot method. Common dye practice in using this mordant would mordant the goods after dyeing, though they could be done before. A one pot method causes a certain amount of mordant to bind with the dye in the water, and wastes the mordant.

At any rate, weigh your dry goods. The ratio is based on the weight of one pound of dry wool. Wool fiber will take up more dye that the same weight of wool yarn which will take up more dye than the same weight of wool yard goods. Copperas will sadden or darken colors, bringing out green shades. Usually wool is dyed BEFORE mordanting with iron. Simmer dye-bath for ½ hour, remove wool, and add ½ ounce of iron and one ounce of cream of tartar to pot. Dissolve thoroughly then re-enter wool. Simmer ½ hour more. Rinse well (remember to cool slowly); too much iron will harden wool and make it streak.

Cream of tartar is a normal additive to the copperas dyepot. I doubt it was in place here, as its not included in the account.

As to the bark itself--here's my systematic wild guess, based on a lot of years standing over pots. I'd get about a bushel basket full of bark and chop it up well. Soak it in a large pot for a day or so and set to simmer, not boil. Let that run 3 or 4 hours, and add water as needed. Let cool overnight. Scoop all the bark out the next morning (Putting the wool flannel shirts in with the bark will make the color streak) Meanwhile, soak all those shirts in another container overnight in water. Now, enter the wet shirts into the dyebath and build your fire. Slowly bring to simmer. Let it do so about an hour, then mordant.

Your container has to be pretty large here--if its crowded, your shirts won't dye evenly. Think about putting a 3 year old child in a big old claw foot bathtub, and you are about right on the water ratio. I'd hope this would do about 3 shirts.

I have no idea which type of maple was used here. Depending on time of year, and tree variety, you'll get some surprising undertones of color, but the dominate is a brown, as bark dyes are tannin based.