Bright Ideas - Crafts

How to make natural dyes from plant materials

Pathfinders – Natural Environment # 17

  • Choose blossoms in full bloom, and ripe berries.
  • Avoid gathering from the wild – take blossoms from gardens so that you leaving the wilderness for others to enjoy.
  • To make the dye solution cut the plant material into small pieces, add to double the amount of water as you have plant material. and bring to a boil and then simmer for about an hour
  • Now you can add prepared fabric
  • The longer you allow the material to be in the dye solution the stronger the colour will be.
  • For very dark colours leave fabric in over night.

To prepare the fabric

  • Choose plain fabrics, white or even better unbleached
  • natural fibres work best (cotton and muslin work best)
  • Soak the fabric in a colour fixative before dyeing to increase the ability of the dye to set in the fabric.
Use one of the following fixatives:
  • Salt fixative for dyes made from berries – 1 part salt to 16 parts cold water
  • Vinegar fixative for fabrics made from other plant materials –1 part vinegar to 4 parts cold water to
  • For both types of fixative add the fabric to the fixative and simmer for an hour.
  • Rinse the material and squeeze out excess.
  • Continue rinsing in cool water until the water runs clear.

To dye the fabric

  • Strain plant materials from dye baths
  • Place the wet fabric in the dye bath.
  • Simmer until you have the desired colour but remember that the colour will lighten as it dries.
  • Always wear gloves when working with dyes,
  • Use a pot that will not be used for cooking when dying fabric.

To make the following colours use:

  • Brown – walnut hulls, tea bags, juniper berries, coffee grinds, acorns (boiled)
  • Orange – sassafras leaves
  • Pinks – strawberries, cherries, raspberries
  • Light green – lily of the valley leaves
  • Red – dandelion roots, beets, rose hips, red onion skins, chokecherries
  • Blues Purple – red cabbage, elderberries, grapes, blueberries, cherry roots, red maple tree inner bark
  • Yellow onion skins, marigold blossoms, willow leaves, celery leaves,
  • Green – spinach leaves, grass, before putting in fabric
Wash natural dyed fabrics in cold water, and wash separately from other items. If they continue to bleed colour wash in well salted water to assist in setting the dye.

Back to Bright Ideas - Crafts main page




Donate Now Through CanadaHelps.org!

Faire un don maintenant par CanadaHelps.org!


Girl Guides of Canada-Guides du Canada Vision, Mission, Values, Promise and Law

Vision :
Girl Guides of Canada-Guides du Canada, the organization of choice for girls and women, makes a positive difference in the life of every girl and woman who experiences Guiding so she can contribute responsibly to her communities.

Mission :
Girl Guides of Canada-Guides du Canada
enables girls to be confident, resourceful and courageous, and to make a difference in the world.

Promise :
I promise to do my best,
To be true to myself, my beliefs and Canada.
I will take action for a better world
And respect the Guiding Law.
Law :
The Guiding Law challenges me to:
be honest and trustworthy
use my resources wisely
respect myself and others
recognize and use my talents and abilities
protect our common environment
live with courage and strength
share in the sisterhood of Guiding.