Kids Corner | Feeling Groovy? Try Natural Tie-Dye

DANA FULTON PORTER

Dana Fulton Porter is a publications supervisor in the DNR’s Office of Communications.

Show off your groovy side in a fun, eco-friendly way! Natural tie-dying can add a splash of color to your wardrobe by using things you already have around your home.

Use natural items like cranberries, dandelions, orange peels and more to create vibrant tie-dye colors, then show off your creations when you head outdoors.

iStock/Fly View Productions

SUPPLIES

• Gloves

• Cutting board

• Knife

• Backyard plants or food scraps

• Water

• Large stainless steel pot with a lid (large enough for liquid dye and material)

• Cheesecloth

• White T-shirt or other fabric item to tie-dye (pre-washed)

• Vinegar

• Tongs

• Rubber bands or string

• Paint brushes or squeeze bottles (optional)

MAKE THE DYE

1. Gather up backyard plants or food scraps for your desired color. Check out the color code for ideas!

2. Wearing gloves, have an adult coarsely chop up the dye ingredients.

3. Place ingredients in the pot with 2 cups of water per 2 cups of chopped food. For spices, use 2 cups of water per 2 tablespoons of spice.

4. Have an adult bring the mixture to a boil, then let it simmer for 20 minutes.

5. After boiling, remove pot from heat, cover with a lid and let it steep (sit with the plant material still in the pot) for one hour.

6. Filter plant parts out of the dye liquid with a cheesecloth.

7. Repeat the above steps for each color dye you’d like to make.

Pro tip: You can pause here and use these liquid dyes for other crafts, like dying paper and coloring eggs!

TIE AND DYE

Now that we have the dye, it’s time to tie!

1. Get your pre-washed white T-shirt or other fabric item ready by soaking it in 1 cup of vinegar and 4 cups of water. This is called a mordant and will help the dye soak into the fabric.

2. Have an adult bring the mixture to a boil and let it simmer for 1 hour.

3. Use tongs to remove the fabric then rinse it with cool water. Squeeze out excess water but leave the fabric slightly damp.

4. Twist, spiral, crumple or accordionfold the fabric into any shape. Just like with synthetic dyes, there are so many fun tie-dye techniques you can try!

5. With the fabric folded or twisted up, tie it together using rubber bands or string. The areas tied tightly will resist the dye, which helps create a bold, unique pattern.

6. With gloves on, apply the liquid dye to the fabric. There’s no right or wrong way to splash on the color. You can use a paintbrush or squeeze bottle, your hands, or simply dip the fabric into the dye using tongs.

7. Once the fabric is fully colored, let it sit overnight to allow the dye to penetrate the fabric. Make sure to leave the fabric on a baking sheet or cutting board so you don’t stain your countertops!

8. After the dye has set, rinse the fabric thoroughly until the water runs clear. Now it’s time to show off your fun and eco-friendly designs!

Pro tip: To help your tie-dye creation last, only wash it in cold water and air dry.

MOTHER NATURE’S COLOR CODE

Some plants offer bright, bold colors; others are a little more subtle. Get creative and mix and match to make your perfect color combination.

Walnut shells = brown

Red cabbage = robin egg blue

Orange peels = light yellow

Turmeric = bright yellow

Dandelion roots = red-pink (really!)

Dandelion flowers = yellow-green

Cranberries = red

Onion skins = orange

Spinach = light gold