You're reading - DIY Craft Ideas - How to Dye Wild Plants and Flowers
DIY Craft Project and Ideas - How to Dye Wild Flowers and Plants
From: Nell
Dyed wild plants
When I lived in the midwest, I was able to dye wild plants without the bright gaudy colors one sees in the
commercial dyes. The process is simple, but takes a little effort. The reward is worth it.
Late in autumn, collect wild plant materials (such as Queen Anne's Lace). The plants need to be naturally dried
to a rigid state.
Leave as much stem as possible when you cut the material. In a 5 gallon bucket, make a bleach
bath of warm water and household bleach.
I probably used 1/2 gallon of bleach, but can't be sure...it was
almost 20 years ago! I don't think one can use too much bleach. Plunge the weeds, heads down, into the bleach
solution.
Check daily for progress.
It should take about a week for the plants to become a very pale cream.
If
you wish to use the plants now, in this colorless state, rinse them in clear water and then let them drip dry,
heads down, completely. They make lovely arrangements in this state. To dye, make another bath in a 5 gallon
bucket of Rit brand dye, and water.
Dissolve the dye in hot water, then add enough hot water to fill the
container. After rinsing the plant material of the bleach solution, put weeds immediately into the dye bath.
Monitor their progress.
For deeper, richer colors, leave them in the dye bath longer. I miss my beautiful dried
arrangements.
I managed to salvage a few over the years, but living in Southern California, I can't find suitable
areas with dried plant material so I'm happy to pass my discovery on to anyone else who'd like to use it.
