Finally! Depending on the color, your fabric may sit in the dye pot for days or weeks to achieve the desired intensity. The good news is you can store them in the freezer until needed.

Some colors use smaller amounts of plant materials, others require a fair volume.

Air-dry fabric for one week to allow milk proteins to cure.

Soak fabric in soya milk for 48 hours for better results.

Wash fabric before dyeing to remove any finishes.

Additional time off the stove allows further color absorption. Some time is spent overseeing the dye pot (saucepan, water, plant dye, fabric) gently heating on the stove. This helps to remove any finishes that may. Prewash item in warm, soapy water without any fabric softener. This will help achieve uniform color results when dyeing. Before dyeing, remove any visibile stains on the fabric. Overall, one dye project will likely take place over several weeks but your time spent actively on it is moderate: an hour here and there. Due to the complexity of dyeing synthetics, you must use the stovetop method to maintain an almost boiling temperature for the duration of your dyeing (around 180F / 82C). There are several basic steps with hands-on tasks and longer waiting periods in between.

Protective gloves, mask, glasses if any noxious plants or powders are used.Ĥ How long does it take to dye fabric with plants?.

Tea towels or muslin fabric to strain dyes.

Wooden spoons for stirring – one each for yellows, reds, greens.

Saucepan – aluminum in pots can act as a mordant.

SuppliesĪll supplies must be dedicated to crafting and dyeing and never be reused for food preparation. Sometimes blends like poly-cottons are labelled as cotton and will not take dye the way a pure natural fabric will. TIP: When selecting fabric to dye, be sure you know the composition. If a fabric has a printed pattern, the pattern will still be visible after plant dyeing. A yellow fabric dyed red will appear orange.

But even then, expect the unexpected: it is an unpredictable art form.Īlso, you don’t have to start with white fabric: plant dyes are transparent so they build on the color below. The more you experiment, the more you will get familiar with the unique characteristics of each plant. The beauty of dyeing with plants is that results vary depending on the specific plants used, fabric composition and preparation, and the dye process. Love nature-based crafts? You might also enjoy Naturally Crafty-see it here. Plantīrowns with yellow, orange, red undertones You may have suitable plants already growing in your garden (see list below) or you might forage for them in the wild-if it is legal and ethical. The recipes in the book provide plant options for a variety of colors. For example, blue Buddleja flowers create bright yellow dye. What you use for dye depends on the color desired, although the color of the plant part does not necessarily correspond to the dye color. You can also use various fruit and vegetable scraps like carrot tops and avocado seeds and countless other items from the natural world. Plantsĭyes can be made from flowers, foliage, stems, bulbs, or roots, depending on the plant. You will need plants (determined by the color you want-see the chart below), fabric or wool, and some basic kitchen supplies. Examples of lavender leaf dye | Photo Credit: Alicia Hall

Dyeing fabric in shades omber