Hi Everyone! Welcome to Part 4 of Working With Natural Dyes! Thie week, we wrap up the topic with another post from Gina Levesque, owner of Across Generations. In this post, we'll take a look at how to set up your dye bath to create successful finished products. I'm excited for us all to soak up all the wisdom and information she has to share with us!

Reminder: Special Offer, just for Sewing With Cinnamon members! Gina has a wonderful supply of natural dyes and mordant in her Etsy shop, Across Generations. I encourage you to check it out and at a minimum, pick up the mordant needed to prepare the fabric and set the dye. Get 10% Off all the natural dyes at Across Generations using discount code: PIXIE 

Working WIth Natural Dyes - Creating A Dye Bath

Follow along in this video as Gina gives us an in-depth look at creating a dye bath with a variety of natural dyes.

Natural dyes come in many shapes and forms; fresh, dried, and extracts. Some are actual dyes while others are simply stains. They also vary in their color fastness and light fastness. In this installment, we discuss how to prepare dye baths of each type and how to test for fastness.

Preparing The Dye

If you are dyeing fabric or fibers, they should be thoroughly wetted prior to dyeing. Use a mild soap, such as a dishwashing liquid, rather than a detergent to wet your fabric. Wetting your materials prior to dyeing allows dyes to travel easily through the fabric allowing it to take the dye evenly throughout.

Mordants

Mordants are ionic salts that allow dyes to bind tightly with the fiber being dyed. Chemically they form bridges between binding sites on the fibers and dyes. Fabric or fibers can be mordanted prior to dyeing or at the same time.

There are many types of mordants, some are heavy metals such as chrome. (Exhaust dye baths with heavy metal mordants must be disposed of in a controlled manner. Please consult your state department of environmental safety for guidance.) The safest mordants are either tannin or alum. Tannins are found in naturally in plant materials such as walnut or oak trees. Alum is a naturally occurring salt that is environmentally, and dyer, friendly. It should be added to the dye bath at 10-15% the weight of what is being dyed. For instance, if you are dyeing a 100 gram skein of wool yarn then you should add 10-15 grams of alum to the dye bath.

Types Of Dyes

• Fresh - Fresh natural dyes are those you collect and put directly into the dye pot. Some examples might include flowers and leaves. Fresh dyes should be added by weight for best results. A good rule of thumb is 2X the weight of fresh dye material to the weight of fiber being dyed. Wrap dye material in cheesecloth and tie closed with cotton twine. Place this package into dye bath water and simmer to extract dye. Once dye has been extracted, remove the cheesecloth package from bath and add your fabric or fibers.

  Alternatively, you might choose to add your plant material directly to a pan of water to extract the dye by simmering. After extraction, you may decant off the liquid and use for your dye bath.

• Dry - Types of dry dye materials include wood chips, plant roots, and other dense materials. These materials should be placed in a jar and allowed to soak for a minimum of 24 hours. The longer they soak, the more thoroughly they are wetted throughout, the more dye extracted. When ready to use in the dye bath, simply cover the jar opening with a piece of cheesecloth and pour liquid containing dye into pan. Add a mordant and continue as outlined above.

• Extracts - Extracts are derived from natural materials. Dye has already been extracted from raw materials and allowed to desiccate or dry. This material is what is known as an “extract”. Extracts are highly concentrated forms of dyes and less is used in the dye bath. They should be wetted in a measuring cup of water using a whisk before being added to the bath. 

Post Dying

Once your dye and fabric/fiber have been added to the bath, simmer for 30-40 minutes. For best results, allow fibers to remain in the bath overnight as it cools. In the morning, remove your goods from the bath (do not wring excess dye out) and allow to hang dry for at least 24 hours. Rinse with water the next day.

Do not use vinegar to “set” your dye. Vinegar changes the pH of the dye and will either change your resulting color or completely remove it from your fibers.

Color Fastness/ Light Fastness Test

Many types of materials are used for natural dyeing with a variety of results. Some are stains, such as berries and some flowers. These materials are neither color nor light fast, but they can be used in projects where fastness is not an issue, such as dyeing eggs. Others offer more permanent color.

For a material to be color fast, it must withstand multiple launderings without the color being diminished. Detergents found in modern laundry liquids are very hard on naturals colors. Since many of our projects using natural dyes are laundered infrequently, light fastness becomes our main concern.

Light fast refers to a color’s ability to withstand ultraviolet rays and remain unchanged. Ultraviolet rays from the sun can either breakdown dye molecules on fibers causing them to “fade” or alter them causing a shift in colors. To test for light fastness, take a sample of your dyed material and place it on a piece of cardboard. Cover one half with an opaque material, such as another piece of cardboard, leaving the other half exposed. Place in a south-facing window for two weeks. After that time period, remove the opaque material. If there is a significant change in color between the two areas, then the dye is not light fast. If there is very little change, then it is fast to light. These results will help guide your natural dye choices when choosing them for a project.

In conclusion, the most important ingredient for a successful natural dye bath is patience. Taking your time by allowing dye materials to soak, simmer, cool down in dye pan overnight, and hanging to dry for at least 24 hours will guarantee the best and brightest colors. Happy dyeing!

Week Two Task:

• Watch the video, gather up your supplies, and let's dye some fabric!
• Go browse the Across Generations Etsy shop. I encourage you to check it out and at a minimum, pick up the mordant needed to prepare the fabric and set the dye. 

BONUS: Get 10% Off all the natural dyes at Across Generations using discount code: PIXIE

• Hop on over to her Facebook page and say thank you for joining us this month! If you happen to live near her, you might be able to join one of her local classes in person too!
• Jump over the SWC Facebook Group for conversation and project sharing.

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Hi Everyone! Welcome to Part 3 of Working With Natural Dyes! I have a special treat today! I'm excited to introduce you all to Gina Levesque, owner of Across Generations. I met her in 2019 while at the Pacific International quilt show, she was set up in a neighboring booth. I was intrigued by her display of beautifully dyed fabrics and yarns. I chatted with her a bit and of course, picked up a few natural dyes to bring back and show you all!

Of course, I figured it would be amazing if she presented on this topic to you directly and she jumped at the opportunity! She will be with us today and then again in Part 4 with a practical hands-on tutorial. I'm excited for us all to soak up all the wisdom and information she has to share with us!

More about Gina... Artist Gina Levesque has been working in traditional fiber arts since a young girl. Gina works with natural dye stuffs, weaving, rug hooking, spinning, and traditional penny rug construction. Due to her love of the outdoors and training as a biologist, she finds the natural world to be the greatest influence on her work. She remains true to the roots of these traditional fiber arts by incorporating some recycled materials into her finished pieces. Many times she works with wool to create her one-of-a-kind pieces.

As an instructor, she has conducted classes, workshops, demonstrations, and given lectures on natural dyes at various locations throughout the country. She has taught classes in natural dyeing and shibori at numerous venues in places like Oklahoma, Indiana, Tennessee, and Kansas. 

Her fiber art business, Across Generations, provides supplies and beginning projects to those interested in rug hooking, penny rugs, and natural dyeing. Gina holds memberships in The Tulsa Rug Hooking Guild, The Tulsa Handweavers Guild, Murrell Home Fiber Arts Guild, and Natural Dyes International.

Special Offer, just for Sewing WIth Cinnamon members!

Gina has a wonderful supply of natural dyes and mordant in her Etsy shop, Across Generations. I encourage you to check it out and at a minimum, pick up the mordant needed to prepare the fabric and set the dye. 

Get 10% Off all the natural dyes at Across Generations using discount code: PIXIE

Working WIth Natural Dyes - Essential Tools 

Follow along in this video as Gina gives us an overview of all the essential tools for working with natural dyes. 

Natural dyes are attractive for many reasons (the shades available, the “natural” aesthetic, the “green” aesthetic, and so much more). Certain measures need to be taken into account for a successful dye experience.

Equipment

The first rule of natural dyeing is to use equipment reserved for dyeing. Never dye with the same pans, spoons, and measuring cups that are used to prepare food. This rule is important for two reasons. Number one, mordants and dyes may contain chemicals that might leave a residue that could be ingested during subsequent meal preparation. And two, foods can leave residues of oils on pans that can be transferred to the material being dyed and result in an uneven dye process.

Pans

Dye pans will be your largest investment. Enamelware and stainless-steel pans are best. Neither of these surfaces react with dye components. 

Enamelware offers the advantage of a white interior that allowing the dyer to see the depth of dye. While difficult to find new pans of this construction, they often can be purchased at flea markets. When buying vintage pans, examine the interior to check that it is free of nicks. (The enamel covers a pan made from iron that can influence the dye bath. Nicks expose the dye bath to this iron base.) Small nicks or “chiggers” can be covered with a few applications of appliance paint to create a barrier between the iron and bath.

Stainless-steel pans should be of high quality, such as those found in restaurant supply stores are best due to their heavy gauge quality. These pans do not react with the dye bath nor do they chip like enamelware.

Water

Water is the next most important component of any dye bath. Tap water may contain minerals or chemicals (such as calcium, iron, copper, and chlorine) that influence the color. Depending upon which dye you are working with, these additives may darken, brighten, or bleach your colors. Origins for these include rock, pipes, and types of water treatment. To avoid the undue influence of additives in my bath, unless I intentionally add them, I always use distilled water. Distilled water is produced in such a manner that all of these influencers are removed. 

Water from a rain barrel is also a good source. Even though it often percolates through leaves in the guttering, this too can be a bonus in the natural dye pot. Tree leaves contain tannins which are a natural mordant and can only help in your dye bath. (Mordants help dyes combine with the surface of the fiber increasing color and lightfastness.

Miscellaneous Equipment

Other pieces of equipment that may be useful include: glass measuring cups, wooden spoons, strainers, and candy thermometers. Again, it is important that these be used only with dyeing and not food preparation. It is also important that the materials each are made from are non-reactive in the dye bath. Non-reactive materials include wood, glass, and plastic. Most of these items can be purchased inexpensively at discount stores.

Candy thermometers are important to monitor dye bath temperature. Some dyes require specific temperatures. Madder is one of these, where 160°F is ideal. Cochineal likes temperatures closer to 200°F. The ideal temperature to dye wool is 170°F and cotton 200°F. And so on and so forth.

Stainless steel or plastic measuring spoons are useful when measuring dry dyes. Whisks are also useful to mix these dyes prior to adding them to the dye bath.

Wooden spoons allow you to move the material being dyed around in the dye pot to create a more uniform color across its surface.

Glass measuring cups are a must. They can be found in one and two cup sizes. Shot glass measurer's come in 2 and 10 Tablespoon variations.

Tongs are useful to remove hot items from the dye bath.  

When using raw dyes, such as flowers and wood chips, cheesecloth and twine are essential to prepare your dye bath. Wrapping the materials in the cloth and tying is closed allows dyers to extract dye without exposing the material being dyed to the raw components. Cheesecloth can also be used to strain dye material from the bath after extraction, but before adding the extract to the bath.

When finished dyeing your pieces, strainers and bowls are a perfect way to drain excess dye from your work. Again, be certain that these items are made from non-reactive materials such as plastic.

 Week Two Task:

• Watch the video and assess your supplies on hand, you might get lucky and have everything you need. Or you might need to make a trip to a local second-hand store to pick up a few more tools.
• Go browse the Across Generations Etsy shop. I encourage you to check it out and at a minimum, pick up the mordant needed to prepare the fabric and set the dye. 

BONUS: Get 10% Off all the natural dyes at Across Generations using discount code: PIXIE

• Hop on over to her Facebook page and say thank you for joining us this month! If you happen to live near her, you might be able to join one of her local classes in person too!
• Jump over the SWC Facebook Group for conversation and project sharing.

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Hi Everyone! In Part 2, we explore the world of flower petals as a natural dye. The colors found in nature, especially flowers are such a delight. Every delicate bloom is not only beautiful but also a happy little surprise. One of the highlights of this year has been that we've had plenty of time to cultivate our at home flower-cutting garden! My favorite flower is the Dinner Plate Dahlia and this past spring I worked to divide the tubers and spread them out in my flower bed. I was pleasantly surprised when they all grew amazingly well, it's been a simple pleasure to watch these grow and cut them to enjoy inside for a few days at a time. When I came across this flower petal bundle dyeing technique, I was so excited to have a way to capture the essence of this flower to enjoy for years to come! 

How To Dye Fabric With Flower Petals

Follow along in this tutorial to see how simple it is to create a uniquely dyed piece of fabric for your next project. We've used purple dahlia petals, red rose petals, and a variety of leaves and even dandelion blooms for this project, but you can choose whatever blooms you have to create your dye selection. 

Watch the video for below:

 Here's a full breakdown of the tutorial. I encourage you to try this one out!

Supplies and Resources:

This project is also pretty simple, and uses basic supplies you probably have on hand.

• Fresh flowers - the number of flower petals you'll need will depend on the size of your fabric. In this example, we have a 1/3 yard cut of white rayon challis and a small bowl of flower petals, enough to cover half the width of the fabric.
• A large metal pot. A stainless steel pot is great for dying because the dye won't transfer to the surface of the pot. Check stores like Goodwill to find one for this purpose!
• A steam rack insert, or collander, or a BBQ grilling basket (that's what we had on hand and it worked great!)
• Twine or string to tie the fabric bundles
• White vinegar to help set the dye.
• Fabric. You can choose a variety of fabrics for this experiment. As with the examples in part 1, the color result will vary depending on the fibers the fabric is made from. 

• Rayon Challis - Here is the before and after using the tightly rolled method.
• 
• Woven Cotton - here's a look at a woven cotton, with a sateen finish. This one was rolled more loosely and the dye fromt he petals is more abstract.
• 

Week Two Task:

• Watch the tutorial video and follow along to create your own flower petal dye.
• Select your flowers and pull apart the petals.
• Mix a soaking solution of 3 parts water to 1 part vinegar. We did 3 cups to 1 cup for 1/3 yard of fabric. Place the solution in a large bowl or pot and soak the fabric for 1 hour.
• Rinse and ring our the fabric. Lay it flat on your work surface.
• Place the flower petals on the fabric, covering half the width.
• 
• Fold the fabric back over the petals sandwiching them between the two layers.
• Tightly roll the fabric and bind the bundle with twine.
• Set up a large pot filled about 1/3 with water place a stemer rack on the pot and add the fabric bundles, cover with a lid and "steam" for 2 hours.
• Turn or rotate the bundles every 30 minutes.
• Let the bundles cool and sit overnight.
• 
• Unwrap and remove the flower petals
• Rinse the fabric and hang to dry.
• Press the fabric as the final step.
• Now comes the hard part! What will you make with your uniquely dyed fabric?

• Jump over the SWC Facebook Group for conversation and project sharing.

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Hi Everyone! Welcome to the topic Working With natural Fabric Dyes! I'm excited to share some fun and easy techniques for creating uniquely dyed fabrics as well as some more involved methods for using and creating dyes from natural elements. Throughout the course of this topic, we will cover many issues that arise when working with dyes, such as the proper equipment to have on hand, the recommended fabric choices, and garment creation from this new fabric. As we demo each technique and dye method we will apply these things and work through the issues that arise, together.

We've all been spending a lot of time at home and maybe getting a bit stir crazy, am I right? So let's move things outside and work on these projects while also spending some time outside! Browse the local farmers market or even your own backyard garden, you might be surprised what things you have on hand that can create beautiful natural dyes!

The topic will be divided into four sessions:

• Part 1: Topic Overview and The Avocado 
• Part 2: Flower Petal Fabrics
• Part 3: Purchased Natural Dyes
• Part 4: Dye techniques and garment showcase

It's going to be a fun course! Are you ready? Let's go...

How To Dye Fabric With Avocado Pits

If I told you we were going to dye fabric with an avocado what color would you think we'd achieve? Green, right? Well, surprise! This dyeing method uses the avocado pits to create the dye bath and the result is a delicate shade of blush pink! 

Watch the first video for this months topic:

 Here's a full breakdown of the tutorial. I encourage you to try this one out!

Supplies and Resources:

This project is pretty simple, with no special tools or supplies needed unless of course, you live somewhere that avocados are not in season or are simply not available. Alternatively, you could do this same technique with tea bags instead of the avocado pits and depending on the type of tea, achieve a variety of colors. I used black tea to dye the Kings Canyon Peplum Top, it's one of my favorites pieces, it was originally a white rayon challis with cotton lace trims and now has a lovely vintage feel!

•  3 avocados (our have fairly large pits, if you find some with smaller pits you might need more). Where to buy? Grocery stores, farmer's markets, and our favorite place - Costco! We simply saved our pits in the freezer as we used the avocados and then had them ready to use when we were ready to dye the fabric.
• A large sharp knife and cutting board
• A large metal pot. A stainless steel pot is great for dying because the dye won't transfer to the surface of the pot. Check stores like Goodwill to find one for this purpose!
• Fabric. You can choose a variety of fabrics for this experiment. As you can see in the first image the color result will vary depending on the fibers the fabric is made from. 

• Rayon Challis - I bought a 10-yard piece of white rayon challis a few years back and I've continued to use it for a variety of dying projects. It's a beautiful type of fabric, can be used in a variety of projects and responds very well to being dyed!
• Woven Cotton - The sample in the video is a white woven cotton with a puckered weave. It's 100% cotton and responded well to this dye method.
• Slub Knit - the fabric we chose is a rayon blend called a slub knit, it has a texture in the weave that also creates an interesting result when the dye is absorbed.
• Printed Woven Cotton - We also dyed a piece of white dot woven cotton. This one has a fun result, the dots "pop" because they absorbed the dye in a different shade. Here's a close up picture of that result:

Week One Task:

• Watch the tutorial video and follow along to create your own natural dye.
• Clean the avocado pits with water. Chop them into quarters.
• Fill a large stainless steel pot with water, covering the pits and allowing enough water to cover the submerged fabric too.
• Place the pot on a stove and bring to a boil.
• Simmer for 1-2 hours or until the desired color is reached. (If using tea bags, you only need to steep for 5-10 minutes and then remove the tea bags from the water.)
• While the pits are simmering, place your fabric pieces in a large bowl of water to soak. For this process, we are not using a mordant, simply water to prep the fabric for dying. We've chosen to dye fat quarters and 1/4 yard cuts. This seems to be a manageable size and provides enough fabric to create a garment.
• With the heat still simmering, add the soaked fabric to the dye bath. Be careful not to touch the pot or the water! Use a wooden spoon or stainless steel spoon as a stir stick. If needed add more water to cover the fabric.
• Let simmer for 2 hours. take a peek and see what your fabric looks like. If you're happy with this shade of pink, remove the fabric, rinse it with cold water and a mild detergent and hang dry. If you're looking for a darker shade, leave the fabric in the pot, turn off the heat, cover and let it soak overnight.
• Rinse the remaining fabrics and hang to dry.
• Press the fabric as the final step.
• Now comes the hard part! What will you make with your uniquely dyed fabric?

• Jump over the SWC Facebook Group for conversation and project sharing.

Hi Everyone! This week we wrap up the topic of fabric manipulation with a look at fabric dyes. This is a great way to add a unique touch to your garments! With a bit of trial and error and all the right supplies, I'm sure you'll learn to confidently add this technique to your project planning.

For this section, we will be looking at purchased liquid dyes, such as Rit brand liquid dye or Tulip brand liquid dye. These types of fabric dyes can be used on a variety of fabric types from natural fibers like 100% cotton, rayon, and linen, as well as most synthetics or blends. I just recommend testing small fabric samples to see how the dye absorbs into your chosen fabric to be sure you achieve the result you're hoping for.

Fabric Dyeing Basics:

In the video posted below, Melinda and I share with you a few fast, easy, and fun examples of fabric dyeing in action. I hope this will encourage and inspire you to try something new!

Pattern Overview (designs shown in the videos)

• Liberty Jane Baseball T-shirt 18" Dolls 
• Liberty Jane Baseball T-shirt 14.5" Dolls 
• Liberty Jane Jeans 14.5" Dolls 
• Liberty Jane Jeans 18" Dolls
• Liberty Jane Button Front Mini Skirt 18" Dolls 
• Liberty Jane Mini Skirt 14.5" Dolls 
• Liberty Jane Kimberley Dress 18" Dolls
• Liberty Jane High Waisted jeans 18" Dolls

Week Four Task:

• Watch the videos and then get your gloves, an apron and make some magic with fabric! Then pop over to the facebook group and share your work!