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Colonies: Cheddar and Poison Green, 1830-1860 |
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| Cheddar,
so named for its resemblance to the color of the
cheese, was often the base dye of the vivid
poison greens. Cotton was dyed yellow and then
dyed again with indigo or Prussian blue. This
double process was extremely labor intensive and
time consuming, but the results were beautiful
"poison greens". In other instances,
both the yellow and blue were printed together
to achieve the same result. |
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| by
Nancy Gere |
In the early to mid 1800s,
"poison" greens and "cheddar"
yellows were very popular colors, a pleasant diversion
from the browns, indigos and turkey reds that were
previously used in both garments and quilts. The
contrast of the wonderfully bright colors afforded dress
makers and quilters more creative possibilities than
ever before. Although it wouldn't be until the 1870s for
synthetic dyes to enter the market, these particular
colors, achieved with natural dying elements, were
overdyed to yield bright, intense hues.
The origin of the name
"Poison" green offers several explanations:
most believe the name comes from its similarity to the
arsenic-based and toxic "Scheele's Green" wall
paper, used throughout much of the 19th century. Others
argue that the original poison green dyes came from
"wormwood", while another audience believes
that it is aptly named for its use of arsenic as a
mordant to fix dyestuffs; however, there is no evidence
supporting these last two definitions. |
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Elm
Park
by Jill Reid |
 Pages
1 & 2 |
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