How to Dye Fabric with Natural Dyes

Natural dyes are dyes made from such things as berries, seeds, flowers, roots, nuts and insects. Each dye adheres to the fibers in a different manner causing some fabrics to color easier than others. Fabric made from a natural fiber that is plant or animal based will absorb the dye better than a manmade fiber. Natural animal fibers include fabric made from alpaca, mohair, silk and wool. The most common plant fibers include cotton, hemp, flax or linen, jute and ramie. An excellent and extensive list exists at pioneerthinking.com that lists common plants, berries and seeds and their respected dye color.

Begin the natural dying process by gathering the desired berries, seeds, flowers, roots, nuts or insects. The water ratio is 2:1 so make sure to gather enough ingredients. Never harvest more than two thirds of the plant during the harvesting process. Harvesting more than two thirds will damage the plant, thus causing it to die.

Chop the harvested items into small pieces preferably no more than half an inch in size. Measure the chopped ingredients then place them in an old large pot. Add double the amount of water to the mixture. For example, one cup of harvested items requires two cups of water. Boil the mixture for approximately one hour. Remove the mixture and strain.

Prepare the fabric before placing it in the natural dye in a separate large pot. The preparation process places a fixative on the fabric that helps it absorb the natural dye. When using a berry dye, boil then simmer the fabric in eight cups water and one cup plain salt for one hour. When using a plant dye, boil then simmer the fabric in four cups water and one cup cider vinegar for one hour. Prepare larger amounts of the fixative solution by using an 8:1 ratio for the salt water and 4:1 ratio for the vinegar water.

Simmer the wet fabric in the natural dye solution until the desired color is achieved. Note that the fabric will dry lighter so simmer the fabric until it is slightly darker than the desired color.

Laundry any naturally dyed fabric separately and in cool water. Add one cup of plain salt to the load to help set the dye. Air dry the fabric to retain vibrant colors.


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