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I'm Barbara Klein with the VOA Special English Devolopment Report.
Dye can bring a little colour to life. Most clothing is coloured with dyes. Modern manufacture dyes can be costly. Natural dyes from plant and animal product have been used since ancient times.
So this week we describe a natural way to dye wool. The advice comes form information written by Jenny Dinn of the intermedia technology development group. This anti-poverty group in Britain has a new name "Practical Action".
There are several methods to put dye into material. The vat method, for example, can be used to dye wool with unionskins. For this example use one hundred grams of natural wool. The wool must be clean. Leave it overnight in water and leak with soap. Then wash it with clean water that is a little warm. Generally squeeze out the extra water.
A solution called a mordant is used in the dyeing process. A mordant helps fix the dye to the material. Traditionally, mordants were found in nature. Wood ash is one example.
But chemical mordants such as alum are popular today. Alum is sold in many stores, it is often mixed with cream of tartar, a fine powder commonly used in cooking.
Mix 8 grams of alum with 7 grams of cream of tartar in a small amount of hot water. Add the solution to a metal pan of cool water. Next add the wool and place the mixture overheat. Slowly bring the liquid to 82 degrees Celsius. Heat the mixture for forty five minutes. After it cools, remove the wool and wash it.
To prepare the dye solution, cover 30 grams of onionskins with water, use only the dry brown outerskins. Boil the liquid until the onionskins lose their color. About 45 minutes, remove the skins after the dye cools. Now it is time to dye the wool.
Place the wool into the dye and heat the mixture, bring it to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to 82 degrees. Now heat the dye for about 45 minutes or until the wool is the desired color. Wool looks darker when it is wet. Once the dye cools, remove the wool and wash it. Now the wool is orange or yellow or at least it should be.
Internet users can get the full details at the website of the group Practical Action. The address is itdg.org. We will have a link with this report at voaspecialenglish.com.
This VOA Special English Development Report was written by Jill Moss. I'm Barbara Klein. | 
