Make Your Own Natural Dyes

Pioneers and Colonials made their own clothing dye. You can too!

Sep 26, 2006 Belinda Mooney

Learn what natural products make dye and then make your own and dye some clothing.

Pioneer & Colonial Fun ~ Natural Dyes

Here is a great project for many subjects and craft projects!

You'll need:

pot

wooden spoon

several squares of white cloth or yarn or whatever you are dyeing

Lots of onion skins

purple grapes

blueberries

2 or 3 teabags

Cinnamon

cranberries

1.Bring to a boil about 2 cups of water in a medium pan. Add one of the above ingredients. If using berries mash them well.

2.Reduce heat and let simmer.

3.Stir and then add your clothe or yarn. Keep it in for as long as you like. The longer you leave it the darker and deeper the color will be. Rinse and hang up to dry.

Here are the colors you will get:

onion skins - yellow-brown

Grapes - pale blue

Blueberries-purple color

litea bags - tan or brown

Cinnamon- very pretty brown

Cranberries - rose

If you know of other things that make other colors please let me know and I will add them to the list.

The copyright of the article Make Your Own Natural Dyes in Kids Crafts is owned by Belinda Mooney. Permission to republish Make Your Own Natural Dyes in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.