growing plants for natural dying

naomij · Post: # 225129Post **naomij** » Thu Mar 03, 2011 6:06 pm

I have just started to have a bash at dying cotton and wool with natural dyes...it would be fab to grow the materials in my own measly garden. Has anyone tried this? I am a very inexperienced and not awfully enthusiastic gardener, I am ashamed to say. My garden is dark and clay and blurgh. Apparently woad is easy going though?

Thanks for any thoughts

red · Post: # 225131Post **red** » Thu Mar 03, 2011 6:12 pm

woad is fairly each yes

other easy ones are rhubarb leaves (yellow), buddleia (yellow) and onion skins (yellow)

in fact, apart from woad, most natural dyes seem to be in the yellow - beige range.

we got a light green from nettles.
pale purple/pink from elderberries (though berry dyes are sposed to fade )

if you can get hold of Jenny Dean's book on dyeing with wild materials, thats excellent, as is her blog

greenorelse · Thu Mar 03, 2011 6:26 pm

Hmmm. I was thinking, well, you usually plant rosemary for remembrance....

naomij · Post: # 225140Post **naomij** » Thu Mar 03, 2011 6:53 pm

red wrote:woad is fairly each yes

other easy ones are rhubarb leaves (yellow), buddleia (yellow) and onion skins (yellow)

in fact, apart from woad, most natural dyes seem to be in the yellow - beige range.

we got a light green from nettles.
pale purple/pink from elderberries (though berry dyes are sposed to fade )

if you can get hold of Jenny Dean's book on dyeing with wild materials, thats excellent, as is her blog

thanks will def look at her blog in a mo! I think I might have to try rhubarb in my horrid garden too then.

naomij · Post: # 225141Post **naomij** » Thu Mar 03, 2011 6:54 pm

greenorelse wrote:Hmmm. I was thinking, well, you usually plant rosemary for remembrance....

oh knickers I spelt it wrong

Nomada · Post: # 225170Post **Nomada** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 10:18 am

Does anyone know how easy madder is to grow, I'd love to try it.

frozenthunderbolt · Sat Mar 05, 2011 9:14 pm

onion i have used nicely.
I completely failed to grow both woad and madder from seed - i'll have another bash though

scrap · Post: # 225393Post **scrap** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 9:53 pm

Datura Stramonium,Atropa Belladonna...

I'l log out now...

becks77 · Post: # 225430Post **becks77** » Mon Mar 07, 2011 10:48 am

Turmeric is a nice one , changes colour in different acid and base concentrations
http://www.wildcolours.co.uk/
http://www.pioneerthinking.com/naturaldyes.html
http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/naturaldyes.shtml
Here's few websites with very nice pointers
Best of luck

naomij · Post: # 225472Post **naomij** » Mon Mar 07, 2011 6:16 pm

becks77 wrote:Turmeric is a nice one , changes colour in different acid and base concentrations
http://www.wildcolours.co.uk/
http://www.pioneerthinking.com/naturaldyes.html
http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/naturaldyes.shtml
Here's few websites with very nice pointers
Best of luck

thanks for all the replies

can you grow turmeric here then, wow! Off to check out your links now.

Am trying some rhubarb today, if I like it will have to plant some

Selfsufficientish.com

growing plants for natural dying

growing plants for natural dying

Re: growing plants for natural dying

Re: growing plants for natural dying

Re: growing plants for natural dying

Re: growing plants for natural dying

Re: growing plants for natural dying

Re: growing plants for natural dying

Re: growing plants for natural dying

Re: growing plants for natural dying

Re: growing plants for natural dying