Oak Gall

This oak gall has been foraged from wild trail walks and with permission from private properties. 

The gall comes from a chemical reaction with a wasp and the oak tree. As the wasp lays eggs on the tree branches the oak responds by creating a protein that grows around the larvae. This creates not only a safe home for the larvae to incubate but also provides food. When the larvae is ready they will dig out of the gall and fly away leaving this tannin rich ball. 

Oak gall has been used for centuries as an ink in conjunction with iron to give black.

You can surely create your own.

Also use to create dye bath to get black to charcoal colors on textiles and paper or use with cotton in layering with proteins for better color saturation.

Sold in one ounce quantities