Have you ever looked at an assortment of natural dyes and been amazed at all the beautiful colors? There is just something so mesmerizing about them! One of the really interesting parts of a rustic life is learning to use your own natural dyes made from plants. And some of the best sources for natural dyes can be found in your own backyard!

Natural Dyes Made From Plants

Take a walk in your own backyard, and look at the colors you see. Many of the colors in the plants and roots growing there can be extracted and used to dye fabrics and wool. It really isn’t hard to do.

• Gather the plants you want to use for dyeing.
• Be sure that the plants you choose are in bloom. This will give you the best color results.
• Coarsely chop all the plants, place them in a large pot, and cover with water.
• Bring the water to a boil and then simmer the plants for about an hour, or until you see the color develop.
• Once you strain the water, it can be used to dye fabrics and yarns that have been soaked in salt water as a color fixative.

Plants For Orange Dye

• Alder bark
• Coreopsis
• Golden Marguerite
• Lilac twigs
• St. John’s Wort
• Sunflowers

Plants For Blue Dye

• Cornflowers
• Dogwood bark
• Hyacinth flowers
• Indigo leaves
• Queen Anne’s Lace

Plants For Red Dye

• Bedstraw root
• Beets
• Chokecherries
• Fennel
• Red Onion
• Sumac

Plants For Green Dye

• Black-eyed Susans
• Foxglove
• Lilac flowers
• Peach leaves

Plants To Make Yellow Dye

• Bay leaves
• Chamomile
• Daffodil flower heads
• Goldenrod
• Marigolds

Plants For Black Dye

• Blackberry
• Black Walnut
• Iris roots
• Meadowsweet
• Poplar

Fabrics such as muslin, silk, cotton and wool are best for dyeing with natural dyes. Before you use natural dyes made from plants, pre-treat the fabric by simmering in vinegar water {4 parts water to one part white vinegar} for an hour. Thoroughly rinse the fabric in cool water. While the fabric is still wet, place it in the pot of natural dye that you have already boiled and strained. Simmer the water with the fabric until the fabric reaches your desired level of color. Keep in mind that fabrics will dry to a lighter shade than they appear while wet.

If you enjoy dyeing fabrics with plants, try berries, nuts and roots as well. Fall is a fun time to collect things like this. Anything you find in your yard will produce some kind of natural dye. Experiment and have fun with it!

Resource: Pioneer Thinking