How-To Make Your Own Natural Dye with the EtsyLabs

Natural, eco-friendly dyes are as close as your own back yard.  They can be used to dye yarns, cloth and even clothes much the same as you would using a commercial dye product.  Natural dyes can also be used to paint wood projects.  In fact one green idea I saw on HGTV used red wine to stain the hardwood floor.  A protective finish was applied.  It really was gorgeous!  So think outside of the box when using natural dyes.  Here is a short video of the process of making a natural dye along with the results.




According to the Pioneer Thinking article, Natural Dyes from Plants, the plant, berry or nut material should be collected then the dye made using twice the amount of water to plant material.  The material to be dyed should be soaked in a fixative before dying.  For berry dyes use 1/2 c salt to 8 c cold water as a fixative; for plant dyes use 4 parts cold water to 1 part white vinegar.  This article also has a large list of plants, nuts and berries that can be used as natural dyes with their resulting colours.  It is well worth printing out for further reference.

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