Wild Earth Dyes
Natural dyes are the colorful dyes that come from a natural source. They are most often sourced from parts of plants including roots, stems, flowers, and leaves. They may also be sourced from other things such as insects, shells, minerals, and more. There is a long history of natural dyes that we will be covering briefly in this blog. We will also explore a variety of natural dyes, talk about colors, and give you some natural dye tips. Our goal for this post is to leave you with enthusiasm and enough information for you to try out some of your own Wild Earth dyes!
You’ll also find some M5 RANCH SCHOOL FREEBIES at the end! :)
History of Natural Dyes
Natural materials were the original source of dyes and paints. They were used to create beautiful paintings, dye clothes and other fabrics, and more! These dyes have been around for over 2,000 years and have played a part in many cultures throughout the world. Natural dyes were unique to an area and what resources the people had available there. Nonetheless, dyers in Ancient Egypt, India, and 16th century Italy all were known for their excellent techniques and dying abilities. In China, dyers specialized in crafting beautifully dyed silks.
Today, natural dyes have been mostly replaced by synthetic dyes in commercial production. The development and production of synthetic dyes began in the mid 1850s. Synthetic dyes were more consistent in their composition and reliable in color. They also came in more color options. Some naturally dyed products are available commercially today as there are some concerns with the use of synthetic dyes, but they are relatively uncommon. However, there are still many artists and other craftspeople that use natural dyes in their work today.
Experiment Results!
We tried out many different natural dyes on eggs- both white and brown. Some of the dyes we tried turned out beautifully while others were a total flop. Overall, it was a great experience and very interesting to see the result of these natural dyes on eggs. Here are some of our favorites from what we experimented with!
Charcoal
We loved the results of the charcoal egg dye! Some of the eggs turned out to be a solid black while others had a tie dye look to them. To create this dye, we broke open activated charcoal tablets mixing the contents into water with a bit of vinegar.
Turmeric
Turmeric is an easy, great dye to start with when figuring out natural dyeing. It is easy to mix together and produces a beautiful, yellow color. This dye is especially fun to experiment with to alter the shade and vibrancy.
Blueberries
Blueberries were a great addition to our line-up of dyes. This dye creates a bright and light shade of blue. We love the textured designs that appeared on the eggs that soaked in this solution.
Carrots and Cayenne
This dye originally started out as solely carrots, but we realized very quickly this was not going to work out. After a bit of research, we found that adding cayenne can make this dye more successful. The end result was a wildly beautiful orange dyed egg!
Red Cabbage
The results of the red cabbage dye surprised us as they came out… blue! The dye nearly covered each egg in a deep blue shade. This would be another dye to have fun experimenting with and the resulting depth and shade.
Coffee
Coffee was an excellent choice for a natural dye. It easily stained the egg shells due to the amount of acidity. Coffee is also a fun choice because it is very easy to alter the shade of brown that will be produced.
Onion Peels
The onion peels surprised us and worked extremely well (both yellow and purple). While it is possible to produce a dye by boiling the skins in water, we found our best results came when we rubber banded the peels to the eggs. This created interesting patterns and designs.
Quick Tip:
When using natural dyes, the dyeing process may take longer or just turn out better when left to sit. We let our eggs soak in the natural solutions overnight to get our colors to be as vibrant as possible.
Why Vinegar?
As you begin to experiment with natural dyes, you will notice that many of the directions will encourage the addition of a couple tablespoons of vinegar. So why is vinegar the secret ingredient? It is really to change the pH of the dyeing solution.
pH
pH is a measure of the acidity of a liquid solution. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14. Solutions with a pH of 6 or lower are considered acidic. Those with a pH between 8 and 14 are not very acidic and are called alkaline. 7 on the pH scale is neutral or basic. Water is the most neutral substance available.
Dyeing with Vinegar
Since water is so basic and makes up the largest part of most dye solutions, this means the solutions often become basic. Any acid is often washed out or greatly reduced due to the amount of water. The addition of vinegar (a very acidic substance) reintroduces acid into the dye solution. The presence of acid creates more binding opportunities between the dye and the textile or egg being dyed. This can sometimes result in a more vibrant or permanent color.
Quick Tip:
Some solutions do not require the addition of vinegar. Always be sure to double check the instructions when using synthetic dyes and follow them closely. With natural dyes, it can be fun to experiment with the amount of acidity added as it may or may not change the resulting color, hue, and shade.
Shibori Dyeing
Shibori dyeing is an ancient Japanese tradition. It uses intricate folding patterns to dye fabrics dipped in indigo dye. There is evidence of this shibori dyed fabrics as early as the 8th century. There are an endless number of techniques used to produce a variety of patterns. Traditionally these techniques were held together with tightly bound threads. Some patterns use multiple techniques that have been used in conjunction to create elaborate designs.
Three Folds
There are many traditional folding techniques and patterns to try out when shibori dyeing. The best part of shibori (or any art) is that you don’t have to follow the traditional techniques. It can be fun to make up your own designs! We decided to use our own for this project. These folds can be as simple or complex as you want them to be!
Spinning Technique
The spinning technique looks very similar to the Western tie-dye. Lay out the fabric you are dying and start pinching and spinning it from the center. Rubber band the forming spiral in multiple locations. You will notice that there is extra, loose fabric surrounding the spiral you have created. Use the leftover space to create additional spirals, tying them off with rubber bands as well. Submerge the entire bundle in the dye for about 30 seconds (we recommend wearing gloves to do this). Then remove the fabric, cut off the rubber bands, and hang up to dry.
Snake Technique
This design will create a striped pattern. Begin by folding a piece of fabric lengthwise until it is long and skinny. Next, fold the fabric in half the other direction once. Now take rubber bands and tightly band them around the fabric periodically along the folded fabric. Dip the entire bundle into the indigo dye for about 30 seconds. Finally, remove from the dye, cut the rubber bands, and hang up to dry.
Triangle Technique
Take your fabric and fold it into a triangle. Continuously fold the triangle in half to make smaller and smaller triangles until it is around 10 to 12 inches in length. Dip and hold each corner of the triangle in the indigo dye for about 30 seconds. Once every corner has been soaked, open up the cloth and hang it up to dry.
Fun Fact!
Indigo is a natural, blue dye.
Traditionally, this dye was extracted from the leaves of plants in the indigofera genus. It was very popular as there were very few naturally occurring blue dyes. Indigo dyeing was widely used across Asia with India being the biggest supplier. Today, most indigo dye is synthetically created.
M5 Ranch School FREEBIES!
This workshop is filled with videos and activities all about wild earth dyes. Join our Ranch School Community (only $99 for a lifetime membership!) to get access to all 40+ workshops immediately!
For now, here are a few freebies from the workshop for you to enjoy :)