Dye of choice
(I used turmeric)
Natural fabric (100% cotton)
Dye pot
Drying pot
Mordant
(vinegar for vegetables and plants, salt for fruits)
Salt: 1/2cup salt per 8 cups of water
Vinegar: 1 part white vinegar to 4 parts water
Alum
(binds the dye to the fabric and gives it a more vibrant color)
(Disclaimer: Once you dye with alum, the pot is no longer safe to cook in.)
Water
Gloves
Spoon/tongs
Rubber bands (for tie dye pattern if desired)
Orange:
carrots, gold lichen, onion skins
Brown: dandelion roots, oak bark, walnut hulls, tea, coffee, acorns
Pink: berries, cherries, red and pink roses, avocado skins and seeds (really!)
Blue: indigo, woad, red cabbage, elderberries, red mulberries, blueberries, purple grapes, dogwood bark
Red-brown: pomegranates, beets, bamboo, hibiscus (reddish color flowers), bloodroot
Grey-black:
blackberries, walnut hulls, iris root
Red-purple: red sumac berries, basil leaves, daylilies, pokeweed berries, huckleberries
Green: artichokes, sorrel roots, spinach, peppermint leaves, snapdragons, lilacs, grass, nettles, plantain, peach leaves
Yellow: bay leaves, marigolds, sunflower petals, St John’s Wort, dandelion flowers, paprika, turmeric, celery leaves, lilac twigs, Queen Anne’s Lace roots, mahonia roots, barberry roots, yellowroot roots, yellow dock roots
1 // Prepare your fabric—
You will want to have your fabric washed and damp before starting the dyeing process. This allows the dye to cling easier to the fabric. Hand wash with gentle detergent (I used dawn dish soap). Ring out and it's ready to go!
2 // Apply mordant to fabric—
Boil a pot full of water that is enough to submerge your fabric
3 // Place fabric and alum—
Once boiled, place in your fabric, add 2 tablespoons of vinegar or salt depending on your chosen dye and 1 tablespoon of alum. Put on simmer for an hour
4 // Prepare dye—
Get your largest dye pot and bring enough water to submerge your fabric to a boil. Add however many vegetables or fruits you see fit refer to the chart to see how much you will need. (I used ¾ cup of turmeric)
5 // Simmer—
Keep dye on simmer for an hour.
6 // Now your fabric and dye are ready—
Roll up the fabric and tie with rubber bands if you want a tie-dye effect. (I rolled the sheet up randomly to get my desired pattern)
7 // Time to dye—
Turn off the heat and place fabric into pot filled with dye.
8 // Let sit—
Let sit overnight while stirring every once in a while to ensure an even dye.
9 // Rinse—
Take fabric out and gently hand wash until water is running clear and hang to dry out of direct sunlight.
10 // Future washes—
Fabric should be hand washed separately for the first couple washes because some dye may still come out.
Enjoy your new dyed fabric!
