Experimenting with Natural Dyes
I had wanted to experiment with making my own fabric or food dyes using natural ingredients from around my house for a while now. This experimentation became a kid’s project partly out of necessity; almost everything I do these days requires me to make sure it is toddler friendly. The end result was that we had a lot of fun - and some of our clothes got a makeover. We played with three different colors and two of them (the yellow and red) worked better than the other (green). Further research and experimentation will be required for better results but I think overall it was a success.
Step One: Making the Dyes
Red: Simmer beet skins in water for several hours until you get a bright, concentrated color. Filter out debris.
Yellow: Simmer onion skins and turmeric in water for several hours then filter out skins.
Green: I used spinach - full disclosure, I didn’t have fresh so I used frozen, defrosted it and squeezed out the water to make the dye. This method was not ideal and did not work very well.
While the dyes are simmering, soak your white clothes in a fixative solution of 1 part vinegar to 4 parts cold water. Wring the clothes out and allow to dry before dying.
Step Two: Dye!
Gather all your materials; dyes, clothing, rubber bands (gloves are optional but the dyes may stain your hands). I recommend doing this activity outside to avoid mess.
If you want to ty-dye your clothing you can use the techniques described below or just pour or dip your clothing as desired.
For the single starburst method lay your shirt out flat then pinch the very center and start to turn it so that it coils up. Secure the coil with rubber bands and then dip or pour your dye over the shirt. Leave it tied up for a few minutes before uncoiling and spreading out in the sun to dry.
For a multiple color burst method, tie a bunch of rubber bands around select locations on your shirt, dipping each section separately
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I let everything dry for about 24 hours before attempting to wash them. The green faded away almost completely after washing and the red faded slightly as well. I am still happy with some of the results but not happy enough to stop experimenting! At the end of the day this was simply a really fun activity for us to do as a family.
