Category: Plant Dye

11 Nov

Silk dyed with Comfrey leaves

Amelia Hoskins / Dye Bath Processes, Plant Dye / / 0 Comments

Comfrey leaves give a cream or light beige colour, good for painting on.  Adding iron, gives a dulled greyed mushroom cream.  Comfrey leaves get mushy after boiling.

Alum is a standard means of pre mordanting fabric, to help dye absorption.  Soaking in soya is another.  Alum dissolves in water, before silk is added and soaked for an hour or overnight before dying.

I used this dye session to experiment with shibori: stitching through layers with embroidery skeins, wrapping thread tightly at intersections.  It worked but the result was too pale to notice any difference where the dye resisted.  Iron was added to the dye bath after first pigment had taken up.

Silk looks dark when wet, after iron water added to dye bath, but dried many shades lighter.  Good as a pale mushroom colour.  Shibori stitching was diagonally across weft and warp.  Pale dyes dont give the contrast seen on darker dyes.  I used only cotton thread, which did not resist much dye stuff.  Soya wax could have been brushed on the diagonal lines, to give a slight resist.  Thicker waxed thread ought be tried.

Plain comfrey dyed portion of sample

Darker comfrey + iron dyed section sample

Adding iron to comfrey dye bath turns grey green, and leaving silk submerged longer, results in a very good khaki or green-gold colour.

16 Sep

Alder Tree Cone Dye

Amelia Hoskins / Dye Bath Processes, Plant Dye / / 0 Comments

Alder cones in Exeter

Cones form on lower branches of the alder tree, first greenish, changing through to brown by late summer. Usually reachable just above head height.  Often seen laying on grass around the base of the tree, clumped on sprigs.

They have good keeping qualities when box full collected.

Produces a pale earthy beige; very useful for painting on to.

Alder Cone dye result on Habotai silk

15 Sep

Walnut Husks Dyed Silk

Amelia Hoskins / Dye Bath Processes, Plant Dye / / 0 Comments

Walnut Husks Dye Process

  • Walnut husks were soaked for several days before boiling up and simmering until liquid was very dark brown.
  • Remove husks and decant liquid to bowl.
  • Add wet silk pieces. I used Ahimsa silk.
  • Agitate frequently then soak overnight
  • Silk takes up the brown dye bath quickly but keep turning and agitating occasionally while soaking. (I don't boil Ahimsa silk as it would roughen surface) Soaking is adequate for obtaining a reasonable colour.
  • A secondary dying of another piece of Ahimsa silk produced a lighter shade of the brown.

There is a lot of pigment left in the dye bath which can be stored in jars or used for additional fabrics.  Fill to brim to avoid mould forming. It could also be used to add to jars of cream/gold dyes to strengthen tone.  At this stage it would be good to investigate what might be added to the bath, to change the colour of what pigment is left.  I was tempted to add some madder dyestuff for a dark red (purchased, not foraged), and this remains to be tested.

Silk Samples of Gold Variations

Walnut dyed silk is the darkest obtained so far of the beige and golds range, turning out to be a light coffee brown/bronze colour.  It might have gone darker still on Habotai silk.  The Ahimsa silk used, is cotton-like in feel, thicker, and although absorbs well, slightly slower.

Walnut Tree

Walnuts were found on the ground where they had had been decaying under a walnut tree on Bossington Green, Porlock, North Somerset.

21 Aug

Logwood Dyed Silk

Amelia Hoskins / Dye Bath Processes, Plant Dye / / 0 Comments

Experimental shibori and batik on Logwood dyed silk - 1st Trial

Logwood (in bought dried form) was found to easily produce a very deep violet dye on Ahimsa silk.  Note: Less dye stuff would produce lilac and mauves.  Shibori stitching outlining butterfly showed clearly in white where dye penetration was resisted.

Batik wax originally painted on the silk was overcome by dye, remaining strong aubergine.  To create a contrast to bring out shapes, I outlined in transparent gutta the shapes intended in the design (to be coloured). I used craft 'fabric bleach' to brush on some areas, such as banana leaves.  A second steaming produced the intended shapes in a lighter aubergine, which would be interesting to explore further.

Colour added to simple images copied from a textile, as experiment.  This piece was unfortunately burnt in steaming (water pot went dry), and was cut into strips and used in another garment.

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2nd Batik Experiment

Double stitched outlines of images, as shibori test.  Batik wax painted quite heavily onto ahimsa silk, with daubing stiff paint brush, to create a cellular texture.  The shibori threads were pulled tight before dying.  Washing out, the wax had held.  Ironed over wax several times with strong brown paper to absorb wax, then rubbing off the bees wax in warm soapy water.  Texture remained to start painting on.

2nd Trial result produced a pleasant textured background to overpaint on.  Fabrics were chosen to coordinate, and use as a colour guide.

Rectangular design was a simple test with the batik, creating a usable textured background to over painting with brighter colours.  This rectangle was used in a dress Butterflies and Pansies  panel front.  Flowers were also embroidered.

21 Aug

Mullein Dyed Silk

Amelia Hoskins / Dye Bath Processes, Plant Dye / / 0 Comments

Mullein gold colour is not from the flowers, but the LEAVES.

Soak before, and simmer mullein leaves to release colour



Boiled leaves removed. Silk added to brown dye.



Ahimsa Silk absorbs mullein leaf dye well. It dries much lighter than it first appears.



The longer silk is left in a strong dye bath the more colour it may absorb, for a stronger and deeper colour.  This looked dark, and I washed it out, but it could have been darker if left over night.  A small piece of silk will not be able to absorb all the dye, so a secondary piece can be added later.

I may not have used a mordant (such as alum), as colour dried light gold beige.  A good neutral background for painting on.

Many plants produce a dye for cream, beige, or gold;  which is very useful background for silk painting on, rather than stark white. Intensity varies.  More antique tone can be achieved by adding ferrous water to the dye bath. (iron - made from rusty nail water). Other metals could be experimented with.  Copper will have an effect.  Making the dye bath in copper pan has an effect.

14 Aug

St-Johns Wort Plant Collecting and Dye Bath

Amelia Hoskins / Dye Bath Processes, Dyes, Plant Dye / / 0 Comments

Foraging along the Tarka Trail

Yellow Flowers of St. John's Wort are found along grass verges. Many changed to orange seed buds, which helps identify them from other yellow flowers and which may be attributable to the golden colour result.

Collecting Dye Plants (St. Johns Wort in basket) along a decommissioned rail track Barnstaple to Bideford: my 10 mile foraging route using Jenny Dean's plant spotter book.   Late summer finds many of the traditional dye plants along grass verges.

St Johns Wort - Dye Bath Process

  • Soak flower tops and seed buds overnight in rain water. I use pond water.
  • Boil up and simmer for an hour. Press fibres with potato masher. Remove from vessel.
  • When cool enough not to roughen silk, add and soak silk, stirring occasionally.
  • Colour appears soon, but leave overnight to absorb dye colour fully.
  • First silk takes most dye pigment.

1st Woad Dye Session

2nd Woad Dye Session

  • Most pigment its taken up with 1st session, but there is always some left.  Remove 1st silk piece.
  • Add dyestuff again and heat and simmer dye bath for 15 mins.
  • When cooler than hand hot, add 2nd piece of silk and leave overnight, to absorb all dye pigment.
  • Second soak actually used up remainder of dye pigment leaving water clear, with paler silk result.

3rd Dye Session- Iron Modifier

Use remaining dye liquid to add iron (ferrous sulphate) for a greyer or greener result.  Colour mix is involved: cream dyes will turn pale grey, the stronger orangey St. John's Wort dye produced green-grey. Other dye baths may produce a pale grey/dull brown results.  Iron can be added by a little rusty water, made by soaking rusty nails in a jar. Small amount needed to tip the colour. Avoid using too much as iron can weaken silk fibres.

Hand Dyed Silk Samples

  • LEFT:     Rosemary - St. Johns Wort Light/St. Johns Wort strong gold - Comfrey Light - Comfrey Dark
  • RIGHT:  Top left St. Johns Wort gold, Green/St. Johns Wort iron modified contrasting with the other natural dye results.
22 May

Bundle Dyeing Seeds and Flowers Workshop

Amelia Hoskins / Dye Workshop, Dyes, Plant Dye / / 0 Comments

Bundle dyed silk samples were created at Flora's Bundle Dye Workshop in Forde Abbey Gardens

Bundle Dyed Silk Samples

Silk and cottons are covered in seeds, petals and powdered roots; then sprayed with vinegar, then folded up into angular folds, before tying up into stringed bundles.  Bundles are hung over the side of a large boiling pot of water.

Bright pigment result from steaming seeds (such as Hopi sunflower), petals (such as dahlia) and dried root (such as madder or logwood).

Drying out unwrapped silk bundles

Authors Samples –  I chose mostly pink and lilac dyestuffs which I tried to arrange in circular patterns, but this process is completely unpredictable.  Next time it would be interesting to make dyestuff arrangements in circular tied bundles or with elastic, similar to tie dye techniques, form snowflake type designs.

22 May

Flora’s Plant dye foraging workshop

Amelia Hoskins / Dye Workshop, Plant Dye / / 0 Comments

Foraging by a river for plants and trees that we can use in dye baths, with and without mordants (which make colours stronger); easily dye cotton, linen and silk.

Boiling and simmering leaves, twigs, and other dry stored dye plants after measuring out appropriate weight per fabric weight.  Flora used same weight as fabric.

Ahimsa silk with Oak Gall dye, plus cotton lace.

Ahimsa silk with Madder 'fold and crunch'.

My own samples from the workshop:  Dye resist method: Fold diagonally and clamp.

Oak gall gives a good deep old gold, for antiqued applications.  The piece of cotton lace also dyes very well with oak galls.  RIGHT:  Scarlet result on Ahimsa silk; previously soaked in soya milk, folded and clamped in triangles along folded strips, to create 'resist' of penetration of madder dye. Smaller Habotai silk scrunched and rubber band tied, to create abstract, cosmic or marbled effect.  This could be interesting over-dying again and again, to create a multi layered marbled effect.

Cream, bright yellow and ocre achieved with Alder plant matter, leaves and twigs.  Centre brighter yellow linen piece was soaked in soya milk, as a pre process mordant.  Its a little too bright for my taste so I would use without mordant.  The pale cream lace is also with nettle dye bath, in reality a very subtle dark cream, with hint of yellow-green.  Subsequent home dying with alder producex a light beige.

Madder pink stripes achieved by folding fabric and using rubber bands to keep tight, preventing dye penetrating fabric. Cotton lace rolled and 2 rubber bands used to achieve resist un-dyed stripes.

Flora's workshops can be booked at her website:

22 May

Avocado Pits Dyed Silk

Amelia Hoskins / Dyes, Plant Dye / / 0 Comments

The silk, accurate colour: looks different in different lights;   In the shade it is more dusky pink, in sunlight - more creamy gold.  Dye absorption was very even.  Excellent appearance.

Avocado pits prior to using, were soaked for 3 days first

Avocado pits after using, saved for future re-use

Rinsing out silk after dyebath.

Silk drying after washing out

Hardly any colour washed out.  The take-up was good: this is because there is a natural mordant in the avocado pits.

Silk dried

Silk dried

This avocado dyed silk will blend well with creams, pinks, peaches and contrast with all other colours; jade greens, blues, blacks and greys.

Colour co-ordinations of new garments made with this silk and other patchwork fabrics will appear here when completed....
22 May

Eucalyptus bark dyed silk

Amelia Hoskins / Dyes, Plant Dye / / 0 Comments

The bark falls off the trees ready for easy collection.  I collected this bark from 2 trees; Eucalyptus Vminalis, Manna Gum, and Eucalyptus Archeri, Alpine Cider Gum (Tasmania), from Hillier Arboretum, Hampshire, UK.  Bark unfurls, dried, off the trees' trunks.

Dye Bath Preparation

Break up bark and leave to soak for a day or overnight.  I added 3 leaves to ensure a colour result (as dye instruction books use leaves for strong result).  I heated to boil, then simmered for 1hr to 1hr 30mins.  Remove bark and put silk in pot.  (I pre-mordanted the silk by soaking in water with alum in a bowl overnight; although not necessary with Eucalyptus).  It wasn't necessary to reboil and simmer the silk in the pan as it took up the dye well immediately, and quickly grew darker.  (This quick take up would be good for fine woollen cloth dying, where boiling can damage fabric).

After about an hour of soaking, frequently moving around, I heated it for about 10 mins and again left it to cool soaking.Silk absorbs bark dye very well, and quickly. I left it in cold dye bath for 1 hr  then simmered the pot for 10 mins.Lace fabric on fist placing in dye bath (content unknown; likely cotton/polyester mix.)It rapidly takes up the dye, although it was not pre-mordanted, like the silk was.

Final colour is a rich gold: silk looks very bright in sunlight; a deeper old gold tone indoors. Could be deeper if soaked longer

Seed designs steamed into dyed silk.  Darker left silk was soaked in rusty nails to make more brownish.

Practice piece painting over eucalyptus dyed silk.  Discharge (bleaching paste) did not work through eucalyptus dye - interesting!  Seed heads to be repainted darker, for contrast.  Outlines (blue lines) are drawn with acid dye mixed with gutta resist paste, using applicator bottle with nozzle.   Background texture in maroon was created with collograph printing:  Seeds flattened and glued to cardboard, then used as a print stamp underneath silk, pressed from upper surface.  (Details to be added)

Adding iron

All dyebaths can give a darker secondary colour by addition of rusty nail water. (iron). I usually find a mixed fibre lace or cotton lace to soak up this remaining dye.

A jar of large nails can be topped up with water to give a regular supply of rust colour.

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How the dyed silk was used in two garments: As contrasting colour for collar, patches, and applique together with blue-white theme

Eucalyptus dyed silk with coordinating fabrics to make up

Lace dyed with same dyebath. Mixed fibres produces lighter gold.

Eucalyptus dyed lace and silk used in applique of Nigella Sativa seed pod.

  • Kimono dress 'TASMANIAN BLUES' - Eucalyptus dyed silk used for collar and appliques and in lower patches. Upper left seed pod applique is darker lace dyed with iron addition.
  • Loose frock top 'NIGELLA BLUES' with silk and lace applique top left shoulder.  See them HERE

Available in UK: Contact amelia-jane-hoskins@protonmail.com for details, as is not yet in online shop

Images copyright Amelia Jane Hoskins Please email for use permission.