Colouring fabrics.

[Joe]

What plants can be used to produce what colour.


Shades Of Orange

- Sassafras (leaves) - Sumac (leaves)

Shades Of Brown



- Walnut (hulls)
- Tea Bags (makes a light brown)
- Juniper berries
- Coffee grinds

Shades Of Pink
- Strawberries
- Cherries
- Raspberries (red)

Shades Of Light Green
- Lily-Of-The-Valley (leaves)

Shades Of Blue - Purple

- Dandelion (root)
- Beets (deep red)
- Rose (hips)
- Red onion (skins)
- Chokecherries
- Madder - Red cabbage
- Elderberries (lavender)
- Grapes
- Blueberries
- Cherry (roots)
- Japanese indigo (deep blue)
- Red Cedar Root (purple)


Shades Of Red - Purple

- Iris (roots) - Pokeweed (berries)

Shades Of Green
Shades Of Yellow

- Spinach leaves
- Black-Eyed Susans
- Grass
- Nettle

- Plantain Roots - Red Clover (whole blossom, leaves and stem); alum mordant; Gold.

- Yellow cone flower (whole flower head); chrome mordant; Brass to Greeney-Brass.

- Onion (skins)
- Marigold (blossoms)
- Willow (leaves)
- Queen Anne's Lace
- Burdock
- Celery (leaves)
- Golden Rod (flowers)
- Sumac (bark)
- Weld (bright yellow)
- Cameleon plant (golden)

Shades Of Peach

- Sumac (leaves) - Broom Flower
- Virginia Creeper (all parts); alum mordant; Peach.




Reader Tips:

Goldenrod makes a beautiful yellow. The color ranges from a deep golden to pale yellow depending on how much goldenrod you use and how well the material takes the dye. Also, elderberries make a lovely deep lavender color! These both are colorfast and will not fade.

Put the required plant in a large metal cooking pot and boil, add the fabric and salt to seal the colour.

If you know of any other types please add here and or ways of dying fabrics.

p.s!! This was found by Nyah so dun go giving Me grief over dying clothes....Am a tooth chipper -snarls and stuff- Joe