Dyeing Cloth With Plant Material

 by Lesa Sevin of Natural World Arts

Spring brings vital colors and refreshing movement through the wind. An art/handcraft project is to dye cloth with plant materials then hang the naturally colored cloth squares on a light rope or heavy yarn. These strips of colorful cloth are similar to the Buddhist prayer flags. The colored cloths may also be embellished through designs with fabric paint, pigment, fabric crayons etc. or resists on the cloth.

A few plants to choose are, red and yellow onion skins, purple cabbage, yellow dock root (mashed a bit), black tea, turmeric, safflower, kidney beans, and plantain.

Look around your area and environment. It is early spring but some plants are available in more moderate climates year round.

I like cotton cheesecloth that I purchase from Gohn Brothers (1-800-595-0031). Cotton and linen cloth are plant fibers where silk and wool is protein fibers. Wash the cloth in hot water to size it. Buy alum and cream of tarter in order to fix the dye (mordant). Prepare a dye pot with some water and a little (1 teaspoon of alum and a pinch of cream of tarter). Immerse the cloth in the alum bath; this is called premordanting the cloth. I don’t do this but if you are doing this with children then the chemicals are put away when you actually color the cloth with the dye material. Remember to use plastic gloves. Children like to wear those dishwashing gloves. The mordents also may be added to the simmered dyestuff. The cloth can be dried and when ready to dye, just soak in water to wet.

Gather the dyestuff and put it in a non-aluminum pot with water. It is not an exact science of measurement. Be open to discovery and research. Sometimes more dyestuff will offer a deeper color sometimes not. It is good to soak dye stuff over night to let is get ready to release it’s color. One thing to remember is not to boil the dyestuff. It seems to weaken the color rather than enhance it. So, simmer for a while, strain, then add you presoaked cloth or other fiber.

Play around with the beauty and bounty of colors and plants.

After the cloth has dried, lay it out and play with the squares sequences. Sew a casing on the cloth (or fabric glue a casing) and then string your rope or yarn through. Hang the piece out of constant sunlight but if you do and it fades then over dye it or make a new one next year.

Gathering Spring Plants

Long ago the people who lived close to the earth dug roots and gathered plants for food. Some of the roots that were dug where I live are camas root, wild carrot, and bitterroot. These are respected and sacred food for the Native People. The Indian People around me have their root areas and root ceremonies. I don’t dig these roots but I have eaten them and have experienced their potency. It really helps me to understand how food is nourishing medicine.

One plant I always gather in the spring is the nettle. It is a bit difficult because of the stinging quality. Wear gloves and bring scissors and a bag to gather the nettle in. Once the nettle dries just a bit it is not so prickly to touch.

I like the nettle for tea but it is also good as a green in soups or other foods.

Gathering plants is also a fun time to bring a sketchbook and draw what is visible. I seem to find most everything a possible art project.