Caroline Hancock Preston Recipe Book, c. 1808-1827

To Dye Yarn Blue — Have a kettle that will contain 12 or 14 Gallons Sunk in the Garden untill the Ground nearly comes up to the edge of the kettle, Then have A wide Plank or cover to fil the kettle quite close to prevent rain from getting in to wetten the dye — have the chamber lye saved in the months of April or May & let it stand & add 2 pounds of Indigo put in a strong coars Linen Bag and 2 pounds of Madder in 2 other Bags -- so that the Madder & Indigo may be raked out ------- (Put in your yarn[)]

To Dye Black — Take Black Walnut root scrape the root & take the inside Bark -- & Boyl it untill it becomes very strong - then take out all the Bark with an open ladle and put in your Thread or yarn _ & let it Boyl slow for two or three hours

you can add a spoon ful of Copres[?] after you take out the Bark —.

To Dye Yarn

Take Chestnut Oak Bark Sasafras Roots Plumb Bark - & boyl it very well in a Coper Kettle You must prepair your yarn by washing it out of strong soap suds - and after your Dye is boyld down sufficiently - Take all the Bark out with an open ladle - then add a little copres - & when you put in your yarn lay a layor of fresh Bark & a layor of yarn - this will make a fine Purple Put in a good quantity of Elder Roots & continew to moove the Hanks with a stick while it is over the fire or if you wish to dye Cotton Fustion Allum watter must be made very strong & ring out your cotton & then put it in dye & mind to boyl it in Coper -- in the Dye made as above directed

To Dye Woollen

Hickory Bark Persimon Bark - Sasafras roots with a little Copres

Another maner to Dye Yarn Green

Dye your yarn Pale Blue & have it washed out of the Blue Dye quite cleanThen make a strong Dye of Hickry bark Black Oak bark & Crab Apple bark and Boyl all together well - after it is quite strong take out the Bark and add several pounds of Allum then Put in your Blue Yarn and stir it Well in a Coper Kettle ---

To Dye Cotton Green

dye your cotton Blue then wash it clean & and dip it in Copres & set it in Lye - if you find it is not deep enough wash it clean and put it again in the Blue dye

To Dye Cotton Fustian colour

Black Oak Bark Hickory Bark Boiled in a Coper Kettle add the Allum and dye your cotton yellow hang it out and dry it - then add your Copres and dip it untill it gets the shade you would like----