Step-by-Step Guide to Hand Dyeing Natural Fabrics: A Journey with Second Nature Studio

Guide to Hand Dyeing Material for Projects

Using plants to dye natural fibers is a beautiful practice rooted in history, connecting us to a long tradition of creating with nature. From ancient times to modern movements, natural dyeing spans across cultures and generations. It’s a slow, intentional process—wonderfully imprecise, often unpredictable, but deeply rewarding.

At Second Nature Studio, I approach natural dyeing with curiosity and playfulness. Each dye bath feels like an experiment, where even cloth from the same batch can take color differently. Variables like fresh vs. dried dye materials, where your water is sources, pH levels, and exposure times all impact the outcome. Instead of fighting for control, I lean into the unpredictability—and it has led to some stunning results.

In this comprehensive guide, I’ll walk you through the process of hand dyeing with plants. Whether you’re new to this craft or looking to refine your technique, you’ll find valuable insights and detailed instructions to empower and inspire your natural dyeing journey. Let’s dive in!

Step 1: Sourcing and Prepping Fabric

Sourcing Fabric

Natural fibers like cotton, muslin, linen, wool, and silk are essential for natural dyeing. In this guide, we’ll focus on cellulose fibers—cotton, muslin, and linen—which are vegan-friendly and take dye beautifully.

Sustainability Tip: Thrift shops and garage sales are excellent places to source all-natural fiber cloth, yarn, and clothing for dye projects. If buying new, consider the source of origin for the materials. I always try to choose organic fibers from regions that prioritize the well-being of their workers and consider environmental factors.

Prepping the Fabric

Proper preparation is key to ensuring vibrant, lasting colors. This step involves scouring (cleaning) the fabric and applying a mordant, which helps the dye bond with the fabric.

Scouring the Fabric: Scouring is the process of cleaning your fabric, removing residual dirt, oils, and imperfections in the fibers to open them up for dye absorption.

What You’ll Need:

• Soda Ash or Washing Soda: Arm + Hammer Super Washing Soda is a readily available alternative to traditional soda ash (just use a bit more due to its lower concentration).

• Gloves: Protect your hands during the process.

• Large Pot: Large enough for the fabric to move freely in water (reserve this for dyeing only!).

• Heat Source: To maintain a consistent temperature.

Process:

• Weigh Your Fabric: This helps determine the quantities needed for each step.

• Wet the Fabric: Dampen it in cold water to ensure even absorption.

• Prepare the Scouring Bath: Dissolve 1-2% of the fabric’s weight in soda ash (2-4% if using washing soda) in warm water. For example, if your fabric weighs 8 ounces, use about ¼ cup of washing soda.

• Scour the Fabric: Add the fabric to the bath, gently heat to around 180°F, and let it soak for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Ensure the fabric can move freely.

• Rinse and Dry: Remove the fabric, rinse it with cold water, and let it air dry.

Sustainability Tip: I choose washing soda because it is readily available at local stores, safe for sewers and septics, and even for watering plants that love more basic soil. I buy all of my pots, jars and utensils for the process at thrift stores.

Mordanting the Fabric: Mordanting is a crucial step that helps the fabric hold onto the dye, enhancing color vibrancy and longevity.

What You’ll Need:

• Soy Milk (Unsweetened, Organic): My mordant of choice. The protein in soy milk binds with cellulose fibers, creating deep, rich colors. Other mordants, like alum, work as well. I use only soy and have absolutely loved the results.

Process:

• Prepare the Mordant Bath: In a 5-gallon bucket, mix 2 cups of soy milk with enough cold water to fill the bucket ¾ of the way.

• Soak the Fabric: Add the damp, scoured fabric to the soy milk bath. Stir occasionally and let it soak for 12 hours.

• First Spin and Dry: Gently squeeze out excess liquid, then run the fabric through a spin only cycle in your washing machine. Hang it to dry.

• Second and Third Dips: Once dry, dip the fabric back into the soy milk bath for a quick coat—don’t soak it this time. Spin and dry again. Repeat this quick dip once more.

• Cure the Fabric: Let the fabric cure for at least a week (longer is better) before dyeing. Prepping a lot of fabric at once allows you to have materials ready for future projects.

Sustainability Tip: My mordant of choice is soy milk, an all-natural source. I choose organic soy milk, meaning the crop is pesticide-free and often uses less water to grow. The results are a richer color than the more traditional alum mordant on cellulose fibers. I mordant a lot of fabric at once and use up as much of the mordant liquid as possible. What’s left is safe to dispose of down the drain or to water plants with.

Step 2: Creating the Dye Bath

This is where the magic happens—extracting color from plants! There are so many dye sources, from kitchen scraps like onion skins to leaves, flowers, and even nuts. I grow my own selected plants in a garden. Grown from seed and tended with care, this is an important part of my dye process.

Sourcing Dye Materials: Whether you grow your own dye plants, forage wild materials, save kitchen scraps, or purchase dried dye materials, this is where the magic happens. My personal favorites include hollyhock and tango cosmos, which yield stunning colors.

• Hollyhock: Produces teals

• Tango Cosmos: Yields vibrant orange to deep rust shades

• Avocado Pits: Gives a soft blush pink.

• Rudbeckia: Can produce tans and beige

• Scabiosa: Creates soft teals, greens, and lavender.

General Guidelines:

• 2% WOF (Weight of Fabric): Use about 2% of the fabric’s weight in dye material for a rich color.

• Experiment: The beauty of natural dyeing is in experimentation. Factors like heat, oxygen, time and pH can change your results.

Process:

• Prepare the Dye Bath: Chop your dye material and add it to a large pot. Cover with cold water.

• Extract the Color: Gently heat the water, simmer for 30-60 minutes, then let it sit for a few hours to extract the color.

• Strain (Optional): Strain out the plant material for a more consistent color, or leave it in for a more textured, unique effect.

Additional Tips:

• pH Alterations: You can alter the color of your dye bath by changing the pH. Adding vinegar (acid) can lighten colors, while baking soda (alkaline) can deepen them. Many dye materials can be altered this way.

• Using an Aluminum Pot: Aluminum pots can intensify colors. For more pure tones, use stainless steel.

Sustainability Tip: I grow and save 80% of my dye material, which means I know exactly how it was grown, how much water was used, the water source, and the seed source. I harvest seeds to regrow plants in consecutive years. For non-growing season projects, I use dried material that I’ve purchased or dehydrated myself. You can also experiment with different water sources—tap, fresh lake/river water, saltwater, and rainwater—each will provide different results as the makeup of the water varies.

Step 3: Dyeing the Fabric

Now, let’s get creative! Whether you want to fully submerge your fabric, dip-dye, or try tie-dye techniques, this step is all about playing with color.

Process:

• Wet the Fabric: Start by wetting your fabric in cold water.

• Dye the Fabric: Submerge, dip, or tie the fabric in the dye bath. Keep the fabric in the bath until it appears about 10% darker than your desired color—the color will lighten as it dries. Stir often to encourage an even distribution of color.

• Dry the Fabric: If you strained the dye bath, air-dry the fabric directly. If not, rinse it quickly in cold water (do not soak) and then air-dry.

Advanced Tips:

• Ombre Effects: To create an ombre effect, gradually lift sections of the fabric out of the dye bath at intervals, allowing the bottom to stay in the dye longer.

• Resist Dyeing: Use wax, string, or clamps to create patterns and resist the dye in certain areas, similar to traditional tie-dye methods.

Step 4: Finishing the Fabric

Setting the Dye

Setting the dye ensures that the color remains vibrant over time.

Process:

• Final Rinse: Once the fabric is fully air-dried, give it a final rinse in cold water.

• Heat Setting: Run the fabric through a dry cycle or iron it to help the color set.

Sustainability Tip: I prefer to hang dry my naturally dyed items instead of tumble drying them. This reduces energy consumption and is gentler on the fabric. Keep natural-dyed items out of direct sunlight to preserve their vibrant colors longer. I let them dry and set for over a week before rinsing to ensure the color bonds and deepens well.

Care Instructions

• Washing: Wash your hand-dyed fabrics in cold water with a neutral, natural detergent.

• Sunlight: Be mindful of exposure to sunlight, as natural dyes can be sensitive to UV rays.

• Storage: Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.

This step-by-step guide is intended to provide you with a foundation in the art of natural dyeing. As you experiment and learn, you’ll likely develop your own favorite methods and dye combinations. Whether you’re dyeing clothes, home textiles, or art pieces, the results will be uniquely yours—a perfect blend of nature, science, and creativity. Pin this post to save for later! Here is a great project to sew with your handmade dyed fabric! Thanks to Jenni of Nollie Bean for this awesome tutorial!

Happy dyeing!