Today we are going to make brilliant botanical dyes and transform old garments or linens into gorgeous new pieces you’ll want to behold everyday. Every dye pot is an invitation to let go of expectations and enjoy the process. No dye pot is the same and the color possibilities are endless. I’m so excited to share this botanical magic with you!

This class project has three key steps:

Fabric prep
Brewing botanical dye pots
Dyeing the fabric

Step One: Fabric Prep

Choose any fabric that is made of 100% natural fiber such as cotton, linen, hemp, etc.

Weigh each item individually, make note of it, and then run the garments through a wash cycle (with PH neutral soap if you can) and then place them in a tub of water so they are fully saturated by the time we are ready to dye them. We weigh our garments before we wet them because a general rule of botanical dye is to use equal weight of dye materials to garments. That said, it is totally okay to experiment without knowing the exact weights, no worries if you aren’t sure how much your materials or garments weigh.

Don’t have a scale at home? Here are some rough estimates:

cotton t shirt: 144 g / 5.1 oz
cotton long sleeve shirt: 174 g / 6.1 oz
lightweight cotton blouse: 61 g / 2.2 oz
pair of socks: 60 g / 2 oz
wool underwear: 21 g / .7 oz
lacey collar: 13 g / .5 oz
cotton flour sacks (my favorite reusable kitchen cloths): 81 g / 2.9 oz

Step Two: Brewing Botanical Dye Pots

I will demo how to make three dye pots with ingredients commonly found in most kitchens, but if this is your first time dyeing - you might just choose one! Go ahead and try all three if you are feeling ambitious :)

For today’s dye project I chose Onion Skins, Black tea, and Turmeric powder. From these botanicals we will coax orangey pinks, warm taupes, and golden yellows.

Onion Skin Dye Pot:
- The only botanical I don’t weigh! I simply collect the outer skins in a bag in my freezer every time I cook with onion (almost daily!) and when the bag is bursting at the seams with skins, I know it is time to brew a dye pot.
- Combine the outer skins of yellow and red onions in a large stock pot and bring to just under a boil (180 degrees if you have a thermometer) and keep it there for about an hour.
- Allow the pot to cool down and then strain. Admire that gorgeous color.
- Set aside until you are ready to dye the fabric!
- Side note: If you have extra time, you can let your onion pot steep for longer - one hour is the minimum.

Turmeric Powder Dye Pot:
- Weigh the turmeric. If you are dyeing a cotton T shift that weighs 5 ounces, use between 2.5-5 ounces of Turmeric powder. Feel free to experiment with weights, what I suggest here is just a guide.
- Measure out the powder and put it in an empty stock pot. Boil a cup of water and whisk the powder with the hot water. Once you have made a paste with the powder, begin filling up the pot with water, whisking the whole time.
- Bring to just under a boil and keep it there for about an hour.
- You can strain the turmeric powder out of the dye pot, but I tend to leave it in.
- Set aside until you are ready to dye the fabric.

Black Tea Dye Pot:
- Weigh the tea and use the same principles discussed above for Turmeric powder.
- Bring the pot to just under a boil and keep it there for at least 15 minutes.
- Once the dye pot has been brewed, strain out the tea and set aside

Now that you have at least one cauldron of color ready to go, it is time for the last step!

Step Three: Dyeing the Fabric

The moment we have been waiting for!

Once the cauldrons of color have cooled, you can put the fabric right into the pot for solid color or tie up the fabric with rubber bands like I do in the video for patterns.

Stay with the garments the whole time they are in the pot, turning them every minute or so as you slowly bring the temperature up to approximately 180 degrees, or just below boiling. After about an hour, turn off the heat and let the dye pots and garments cool down. Once cooled, it’s time to remove the fabric from the pot! If they were tied up for tie-dye, remove the rubber bands, and run them through a wash cycle with gentle soap. Alternatively, you could wash the garment in your sink and hang dry. The garment will be a few shades lighter when dry.

I would love to see how your dye experiments came out! Please post pictures of your class project for everyone to admire.

Ava Shepherd

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