Natural Dyeing Tips for Beginners: Everything You Need to Know to Get Started
- Words by Peppermint
Part experiment, part craft activity, the magical process of natural dyeing is a fun way to freshen up old wardrobe faves and reconnect with nature in the process. The brainchild of Katie Wilkins, Studio Tinta is a natural dye studio creating sustainable textiles using botanical dyes and natural fibres. With a range of made-to-order silk pillowcases, eye masks and scrunchies, each Studio Tinta piece is manufactured in Melbourne then hand-dyed in Newcastle in a zero-waste process with compostable packing!
Drawing colours from natural materials, Katie is now on a mission to make the creative process of natural dyeing accessible to everyone. Her latest venture is an online Natural Dye School, teaching participants how to make vibrant dyes from her extensive recipe collection before applying them to fabric to create unique, multi-coloured patterns. Enrolments for the course are open now so why not sign up today for fun winter projects galore!
Before you get started though, Katie has provided us with a nifty beginner’s guide to natural dyeing so you can live to dye another day.
INTRODUCTION
Natural dyeing is not only fun (and addictive!), but it’s an amazing way to breathe new life into your old textiles. Rather than throwing out your stained white tees or your old sheets, you can make them new again using plants you can find in your own environment. Each colour and pattern is completely unique, and you’ll end up with creations you’ll treasure for years to come. It’s a sustainable and affordable way to update your home and wardrobe.
This guide is designed as an introduction give you an overview of how natural dyes work and how you can make them at home from things you find in your pantry, scraps from your kitchen and plants in your garden. I hope this is the start of lots of fun experiments with natural colour.
EQUIPMENT
There are a few essential items needed to start dyeing at home. For safety reasons, you shouldn’t use your cooking pots for dyeing unless you are only using edible dye plants. You can find perfect dyeing equipment at your local secondhand store.
– Stainless steel pot
– Stainless steel tongs
– Stainless steel strainer
– Plastic bucket or tub
– Rubber gloves
– Stainless steel/wooden pegs
FIBRES
CELLULOSE FIBRES
Cellulose fibres, or plant fibres, are made from plants. These include fabrics like cotton, linen, hemp and bamboo. These fabrics are the most appropriate for vegans, as synthetic fibres aren’t recommended for natural dyes.
ANIMAL FIBRES
Animal fibres, or protein fibres, have different molecular structures to fibres made from plants. These most commonly include silk and wool. These fibres have a natural affinity for natural dyes and are great for beginners.
MORDANTS
The word mordant comes from the French verb ‘mordre’, meaning ‘to bite’. In other words, a mordant is a substance used to help the dye ‘bite’ or bind to the fibre. A mordant helps you achieve colours that are brighter, deeper and more colourfast. The most common mordants include metal salts such as aluminium or iron, or natural mordants made from plants high in tannin, such as oak galls, or oxalic acid such as rhubarb leaves.
Mordants you can purchase:
– Aluminium acetate
– Aluminium sulphate
– Ferrous Sulphate
– Tannin
Mordants you can make at home:
– Iron water using rusty objects
– Soy milk binder
– Mordant from rhubarb leaves
– Mordant from dyes high in tannin
To learn more, sign up to hear more about the online Natural Dye School and you’ll receive the free Natural Dyeing For Beginners e-book! Thanks to the lovely team at Studio Tinta, weβre also stoked to be able to offer our gorgeous PeppermintΒ communityΒ an exclusive discount of 10% off the course price! Sign up today using the code Peppermint10 β valid until 30 June 2021.
photos ZOE LONGERGAN
JOIN OUR MAILING LIST
Brighten up your inbox with our not-too-frequent emails featuring Peppermint-related news, events, competitions and more!
explore
MoreΒ articles
When you hang a painting on a wall, the story stays put. But when you wear a beautifully made garment that may as well be a piece of art? The story travels. It moves through the world with you β…
We all do it: fire up the car for a 5-minute drive to pick up groceries, drop off sewing supplies, or run a quick errand…
Hereβs a question: who decided that natural fibres arenβt a great fit in activewear? For Geraldton mum-of-four Jade Payne, that question became paramount after a…
Fancy a getaway in a heritage building that was once a hospital, an orphanage AND a school in a previous life? Despite what your initial…
When the algorithm gods reward dance trends over hand-thrown ceramics, and building a website feels more stressful than a tax return, whereβs a maker to…
Time-travelling lungfish floating in a mosaic of glass tiles, a four-breasted female empowerment goddess cast in bronze, and a striking botanical sculpture spanning 15 metres,…
Hang out with us on Instagram
βCrafting is something that has come naturally since I was small and I just havenβt stopped. When I was smaller, I was interested in the end result. As Iβve gotten older, I realise itβs the process that keeps me coming back to craft. Itβs a meditative state for me and I find the repetitive action of the stitching and felting quite therapeutic.ββ
β
Craving a world filled with warmth and whimsy? Itβs all in a dayβs work for textile artist @Cat_Rabbit, whose latest book, βTrinketsβ, is bursting with felty food friends to make and cherish. Cat invited us into her universe, filled with cheeky characters, layered storytelling and loads of humour. β
β
Plus: try the super sweet pattern for Catβs Lucky Pickle, perfect to make as a stocking stuffer, extracted from Trinkets. β
β
Read more from our βJust felt rightβ feature in Issue 64, at newsagents and stockists now!β
β
Photos: Tatanja Ross @On_JacksonStreet and Cat Rabbitβ
β
#PeppermintMagazine #CatRabbit #LuckyPickle #Craft #Crafting #Felting #FeltCrafts #Trinkets #ChristmasDecorations
Our hearts go out to everyone impacted by the Bondi Beach violence, especially the Jewish community. Also to the beachgoers, those who bravely helped and the first responders.β
β
While it`s easy β and understandable β to get caught up in the horror of it all and direct anger at certain groups, remember this quote from teacher and author Erin Gruwell: "Don`t let the actions of a few determine the way you feel about an entire group."β
β
βYou don`t fight racism with racism. You fight racism with solidarity," said Bobby Seale of the Black Panthers. And solidarity is exactly what we need right now.β
β
If you are feeling overwhelmed, you are not alone. Remember there is much more kindness in the world than hate. β€οΈβπ©Ήβ
β
@LifelineAustralia has created a Bondi Beach Incident: Wellbeing support guide, where youβll find information about common reactions, reassurance that what youβre feeling is valid, and ideas for taking care of your wellbeing.β
β
https://lifeline.org.au/bondi-incidentβ
β
You can also call Lifeline on 13 11 14, text on 0477 13 11 14 or chat at lifeline.org.au/crisis-chat anytime, no matter how this has impacted you.β
β
@BeyondBlueOfficial is also available with free 24/7 support by phone on 1300 22 4636 or webchat at https://www.beyondblue.org.au/β
β
Register.Find.Reunite. has been activated by @RedCrossAu to help people reconnect with family and friends. Visit redcross.org.au to access the service.β
β
@NSWPolice Public Information and Inquiry Centre (PIIC) is operating 24/7 on 1800 227 228 for information relating to people impacted.β
β
@LifeBloodAu is supporting Sydney hospitals. O- and O+ blood are always in high demand in emergencies. To donate (from anywhere in Australia β all states are welcome and helpful!) call 13 14 95 or use the Lifeblood app.
Just a reminder⦠from @SugarHouseCeramicCo
This holiday season be kind, patient and shop local!
#ShopSmall #ShopLocal #SupportSmallBusiness
β¨οΈ Our website is getting a glow-up! β¨οΈβ
β
Sorry for the inconvenience but it will be offline for a few days. You can still purchase subscriptions (perfect for chrissy presents!) via the links on the holding page.β
β
Last year we were extremely excited to receive funding from the Meta Australian News Fund, in partnership with the Walkley Foundation. The result of this is a fabulous new website, with a sustainable fashion and sewing directory that will follow early next year. We`ve worked with the lovely Amy and Jenny at @CrumpetClubHouse who have been making the magic happen β we can`t wait to show you the outcome! β¨οΈβ
β
In the meantime, please get in touch if you need help with anything β hello@peppermintmag.com β
β
We`ll see you on the other side! π
π 12 DAYS OF XMAS GIVEAWAYS πβ
β
πOn the 12th day of Christmas, weβre giving awayβ¦ a GREENPAN FROST ICE CREAM & FROZEN DRINK MAKER! πβ
β
Ice, ice, baby! Calling all kitchen magicians and dessert devotees: itβs time to churn, blend and devour your way to frozen heaven. Itβs our final giveaway β and hoo girl, itβs a goodie! Thanks to the clever folks at @TheOriginalGreenPan.Anz, one reader will cool their mitts on the Frost Ice Cream & Frozen Drink Maker β perfect for conjuring up home-made gelato, sorbet, smoothies, slushies and more!
Valued at $599, the Frost Ice Cream & Frozen Drink Maker is designed with GreenPanβs signature Thermolonβ’ ceramic non-stick coating, so you can whip up summer-ready sweet treats free of PFAS, PFOA, lead and cadmium.
To snag this frosty prize, follow @TheOriginalGreenPan.Anz and tag a friend in the comments below before midday AEST 15 December! (Australian and New Zealand addresses only, please.) Good luck!
Update: The lucky winner of our final giveaway is @just__for__van - congrats! We`ll dm to get your details. Well done! π
β
#PeppermintMagazine #12DaysOfChristmas #12DaysOfGiveaways #GreenPan
Oh hey ππΌ Just a little reminder that our subscriptions are sent in paper envelopes, which is a bit of a rarity in our industry. π
πΌβ
β
If you need more reasons to subscribe, how about these:β
β
π Enjoy a new issue arriving in your letterbox every six months.β
π Subscribers exclusively receive FOUR digital sewing patterns per year!β
π Youβll be the first to get your hands (and needles) on our patterns with early access.β
π Get a 20% discount code on back issues of Peppermint so you can start your collection today!β
π Automatically go in the draw to win amazing prizes each issue.β
π Feel good about your subscription arriving in plastic-free postage.β
π Support a small, women-led Australian business.β
π Help us make the world a better place!β
β
And... it`s a perfect Christmas present! We have a downloadable card you can print to go with your gift. β
β
π Link in bio!β
β
#PeppermintMagazine #SupportSmallBusiness #ShopLocal #ShopSustainable #PlasticFree β
