Eloise and her best pal dyed a half dozen play silks this weekend, and it obtained me pondering – I’ve posted quite a lot of footage over time of some of our dye duties with out as quickly as taking the time to primarily make clear the strategy we use. Instantly, I made quite a lot of notes about how we picture voltaic dyed these silkies, using plant components we found spherical the house and yard. Proper right here’s what I can share, in case you’d want to dabble.
Dyeing with crops: The world of dyeing with crops is large and rich. There are as many methods on the market as there are crops to utilize. A wonderful place to start out out, notably with children, is thru the usage of the photo voltaic to extract colors from crops. With this system, there’s no cooking over flames and you could work out of doors the place the yard can encourage you. Nonetheless sooner than you get started, it’s good to know barely bit regarding the styles of provides you’ll wish to make use of.
Fiber: Protein fibers resembling silk or wool are the only pure fibers to dye – they bond readily with pure dyes and likewise take a lot much less time and effort to mordant. For a first-time enterprise with children, I prefer to suggest dyeing play silks as they make for a versatile open-ended toy. Though they don’t look like so much, children can use them to create all forms of points from tents to slings, capes, flags, and scarves. The provides half on the end of this publish hyperlinks a retailer the place you should purchase a packet of white silks to dye. As a second enterprise, wool yarn is an outstanding fiber to dye!
Mordant: Most plant dyes need one factor often known as a mordant to help them adhere to pure fibers. There are a collection of varied sorts of mordant, nevertheless I prefer to suggest using aluminum sulfate, additionally known as “alum” as a result of it’s protected for people and the setting. It’s going to even be purchased readily throughout the spice a part of most grocery outlets.
Dyes: Close to pure dyes, the chances are numerous. I like to start out out by attempting throughout the yard and kitchen to see what’s on the market with out value. Within the occasion you possibly can’t uncover the color you’re looking out for, powdered dyes for crops like hibiscus, madder, and indigo could possibly be purchased on-line at places like Mountain Rose Herbs. Proper right here’s a list of some of my favorite dye crops and the colors they create.
Blue: dried black beans, corn flower, elderberries, indigo, mulberries, purple cabbage, tomato leaves and stems
Yellow: aster, brown onion skins, calendula, chamomile, dandelions, goldenrod, marigolds, mint, mullein, parsley, Queen Anne’s Lace, sunflowers, sunflower seeds, zinnia
Inexperienced: black-eyed Susans, carrot leaves, chamomile leaves, inexperienced tea, nettle leaves, purple onion skins, spinach, spirulina powder, yarrow flowers
Orange: coreopsis, eucalyptus, turmeric root, brown onion skins
Pink: avocado pits or skins, cabbage leaves, cherries, roses
Purple/Purple: avocado pits and skins, hibiscus, madder root, beet root, mulberry, St. John’s wort, wild grapes
Brown: espresso grinds, dandelion roots, oak bark, black tea leaves, walnut hulls
Plant dyeing play silks: Now that you just perceive the basics, you could accumulate your provides. For plant components, it’s best to make the most of flower heads, flower petals, or gadgets of fruits or greens. Some crops, like cabbage, might have to be chopped into small gadgets to go well with them into your jar. When making your dyes, keep in mind the additional plant components you add to each jar of water, the darker the dye shall be. Moreover, it’s best to undoubtedly accumulate one jar for each plant you intend to utilize and shade you wish to create. Ultimately, you may want to combine plant components to create fascinating to colors, nevertheless I’d advocate starting with one plant per tub until you’re accustomed to the colors each one creates.
Provides
empty quart dimension jars and lids
boiling scorching water (3 cups per quart dimension jar)
aluminum sulfate (1/2 tsp for each jar)
spoon
clear plant components for dyes
white play silks (I benefit from these)
gloves (optionally out there)
labels and pen
Directions
1. Fill the glass jars 3/4 of the way in which wherein with boiling water. Add 1/2 teaspoon of aluminum sulfate to each jar and stir to dissolve it.
2. Add the plant components to your each jar. Within the occasion you utilize a plant powder resembling hibiscus powder, as an example, stir the water until it dissolves.
3. Using a spoon, submerge a play silk into each jar. Excessive off the jar with additional water, if needed to fill the jar to the very best.
4. Seal the jars with airtight lids, then label them with the date and form of plant. Place the jars in a protected, sunny spot outside, or a south-facing window inside, for 3 weeks.
5. After 3 weeks, strain the crops and dye water. Compost the plant components.
6. Dangle the play silks to dry out of doors throughout the shade. (It’s moreover okay to dry them throughout the photo voltaic, nevertheless the UV radiation will seemingly fade the colors).