Pioneer & Colonial Fun~Making Natural Dyes by Belinda Mooney

Natural ways to dye cloth!

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 whatevr you are dyeing
• Lots of onion skins
• purple grapes
• blueberries
• 2 or 3 teabags
• Cinnamon
• cranberries

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. Reduce heat and let simmer. 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
• tea 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.

Copyright 2001