|
Home
>>
Lifestyle:
Basic Crafts:
Making Natural Dyes
From Plants
Did you know that a
great source for natural dyes can be found right in your own back
yard! Roots, nuts and flowers are just a few common natural ways
to get many colors. Yellow, orange, blue, red, green, brown and
grey are available. Go ahead, experiment!
Gathering plant
material for dyeing:
Blossoms should be in full bloom, berries ripe and nuts mature. Remember,
never gather more than 2/3 of a stand of anything in the wild when
gathering plant stuff for dying.
To make the dye
solution:
Chop plant material into small pieces and place in a pot. Double the amount of
water to plant material. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about an
hour. Strain. Now you can add your fabric to be dyed. For a
stronger shade, allow material to soak in the dye overnight.
Getting the
fabric ready for the dye bath:
You will have to soak the fabric in a color fixative before the dye process.
This will make the color set in the fabric.
Color Fixatives:
Salt Fixative
(for berry dyes) 1/2 cup salt to 8 cups cold water
Plant Fixatives
(for plant dyes) 4 parts cold water to 1 part vinegar
Add fabric to the
fixative and simmer for an hour. Rinse the material and squeeze
out excess. Rinse in cool water until water runs clear.
Dye Bath:
Place wet fabric in dye bath.
Simmer together until desired color is obtained. The color of the
fabric will be lighter when its dry. Also note that all dyed
fabric should be laundered in cold water and separately.
Muslin, silk,
cotton and wool work best for natural dyes and the lighter the
fabric in color, the better. White or pastel colors work the best.
NOTE:
It's best to use an old large pot as your dye vessel. Wear rubber gloves to
handle the fabric that has been dyed, the dye can stain your
hands. It's also important to note, some plant dyes may be toxic,
check with the Poison Control Center if unsure.
|
