Madder - plant dye

Well as you can see I have finally dyed with Madder.  I have always used the root (unground) but have now used ground madder and wow what a difference.  You get the color so quickly.  With the root you have to soak and simmer for days to get color like this.  (Or maybe it was me doing something wrong)  But Wow I love this color.  

The wool roving balls - the orange/red colored ones were straight out of the pot (all have been fixed with Alum and cream of tartar).  The roving (and one silk scarf) that has more of a pink tone was dipped in an ammonia bath after dyeing.  The skeins of yarn were dipped twice and a slight ammonia after bath.  Amazing the color difference from just one pot.  The color get weaker with every dipping.  I have a skein still in the pot and will take it out after a few days.  Heat is also important - it was a bit more than hand hot but not near boiling.  I do believe that boiling results in a rusty orange at best.