How to Make Fabric Dye With Acorns
A FiberArtsy.com tutorial
In the past year or so, I shared my natural dyeing experiments with black walnuts, dandelions and black beans. You can dye cotton fabric as well as wool yarn with these materials as long as you use the appropriate mordant to help the dye 'stick'.
Continuing this series, I wanted to show you how to dye cotton fabric towels using acorns.
See the full step by step tutorial at www.FiberArtsy.com (link below)
My favorite material to dye (other than yarn) is cotton flour sack towels. These are seriously the absolute best kitchen towels I’ve ever used. They are super absorbent and they take the natural dye beautifully.
Since I don’t want to just dye brown kitchen towels (boring), I decided to dye these towels with two different shibori fabric dyeing techniques: Itajime and Suji or Triangle and Accordion Folding.
I also decided to use an iron modifier to see if there would be a shift in the final dye color. This part is totally optional. If you don’t have any iron liquid made, just skip that part. (To learn more about making an iron modifier, see my post at www.FiberArtsy.com/how-to-ecoprint-on-paper/)
SUPPLIES NEEDED:
Flour Sack Towels
Acorns (4 or 5 cups at least)
Hammer
Old Strainer
Heavy String
Cook Pot dedicated to dyeing**
Alum Mordant
Iron Modifier (optional)
Old Tongs
Plastic Table Cover
** Do not use your regular pots and pans for dyeing projects. They may no longer be safe for food preparation. If you do a lot of yarn or fabric dyeing, head to your local thrift shop and pick up some cheap pots and pans.
The first thing you have to do is mordant your towels. (See https://www.fiberartsy.com/natural-dyeing-dandelions/ for details on how to mordant cotton)
MAKE THE ACORN DYE STOCK
Smash your acorns lightly with a hammer. Place them in a pot with water. Bring to a boil and then simmer for at least an hour or two.
FOLD THE TOWELS
Once your towels are mordanted, fold them by any shibori or tie dye method you choose. Mine are accordion and triangle folded. (See the folding instructions at the link below)
Strain the dye stock and return the dye to the pot. Place your towels in the dye bath. I also added a skein of yarn.
Simmer and let cool completely. Wash your towels separately to remove excess dye. Hang to dry
I decided to make pillow covers out of my dyed towels. Check the blog for instructions on natural dyeing with black walnuts, dandelions and also eco printing.
Enjoy!
Annette
FiberArtsy
Full step by step instructions can be seen at FiberArtsy.com (link below)
Resources for this project:
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Comments
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This looks like so much fun! I love the unique results💛
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I love using natural dyes. I saved yellow onion skins and they make a deep rish rusty brown dye. We used it to color eggs but it will dye cloth as well, just set it with a vinegar rinse.
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Yes! I grew up in Germany and we dyed our Easter Eggs with onion skins, too. I did a post about it ....https://www.fiberartsy.com/easter-eggs-marbled-dyed-onion-skins/
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This is a project right up my alley! Who knew....anyways, the acorns I have but also, have you ever tried the hickory nuts? The squirrels are quick to crack them open but would the outer shell work maybe? Finally they'll become useful instead of another chore every other year ;-) Thanks for sharing!!
Would this dye work on leather? I have a dark brown sofa that is showing wear.
How does the dye hold up in the laundry? I am worried it would bleed into other items in the washing machine. I wash my kitchen towels with my bathroom towels in hot water.