DYEING FABRICS

Safety Tips:

When creating beautiful natural dyes for fabrics it is always important to follow some simple rules.

1. Never use the same pots and utensils for dyeing that you use in the kitchen for cooking or baking
2. Wear rubber gloves, an apron, and a dust mask when measuring out mordants (fixatives) as they can sometimes be irritating to the nose, throat, or skin.
3. Adult supervision is strongly recommended when working with children.
4. Always work in a well-ventilated space
5. Dispose of the used mordants and dyes safely. The mordants used in this guide are labeled GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) by the FDA and can be safely disposed of through the municipal water system by being poured down the drain. They should never be disposed in water ways or drains that flow into waterways.

Preparing Fabrics with a Fixative:

When dyeing fabrics, a little preparation is needed before adding the natural dye solution. Fabrics need a fixative, a chemical substance used to stabilize or set biological material (natural plant dyes) on to either cellulose (plant) or protein (animal) fabrics. An important note to remember is that natural dyes only works well on natural fabrics, they do not adhere well to synthetics, which need to undergo a photosensitized oxidation process.

Some plants have tannins, a substance that occurs naturally and eliminates the need for fixatives when dyeing fabrics. The produce table at the end of the guide notes which vegetables or fruits have tannins.

CONCENTRATED NATURAL DYES FOR BAKED GOODS

Natural dyes are often used in baked cakes and frostings as a healthy alternative to store bought food coloring. Unlike dyeing fabric or craft items, you can use your kitchen cookware and utensils when creating natural dyes for your baked goods. Be sure to wear an apron and gloves if you want to prevent your hands and clothes from getting stained.

Ingredients/Supplies

• Select Produce (Avocados, Beets, Spinach (1/2 cup water), Red Cabbage, Onion) Based on Desired Color
• Food Processor/Blender (fruits)
• Juicer/Blender (vegetables)
• Sieve
• Water (if needed)
• Saucepan

Instructions

• Use a blender or food processor to crush or blend the fruits
• Use a blender or juicer to process vegetables, add 1/2 cup of water to leafy vegetables when blending in a blender
• Use a saucepan to cook cabbage at medium heat, when purple turn off heat (add 1/2 tsp of baking soda to turn color blue) if you want to leave it purple do not add baking soda
• Use a sieve or cheesecloth to remove seeds and fibers
• Add part of juices individually to a saucepan and bring to medium heat
• The liquid will begin to evaporate and the longer the juice is on the pan the more concentrated it will get. Be careful to not let it burn.

*Juices work well when added to dry ingredients and concentrated juice works well with wet ingredients like frostings.