You are incredible knowledge full. I was a teacher of gymnastics for 26 yrs. now a carpenter for 16 yrs. found you on a recommended video of the vertical garden in Wyoming? I think? I feel a bing watch coming on. Just having a new tablet has opened a whole new world to me. Thank you
you should write a book on all the different things you have used and how to make each of dyes along with the colors that you can get from them depending on the different fibers you are dyeing.
I presume that you are the woman behind the camera Kirsten, rather than the natural dyer in front of the camera. Can you give us more information about her, such as her name! I’d be very interested in finding out more about her.
The people are always talking about how you're able to get so many colors from everything but then they are always just wearing black...or tan. I found a chair out by our dumpster and remembered that I had a small amount of Kelly Green dye under my sink. I know nothing about natural dyes other than your videos but my chair made me happy. Haha.
This is awesome. I'm so glad you posted this. I've been wanting to dye some clothing, but not with the chemical dyes that are available. Thank you for the valuable source of knowledge. I love everything you post. As I write this, I am watching all your videos from your oldest post to the current. Don't know how long it will take me to see everything, but it's my goal to see them all. Again, thanks.
I have just started with natural dyeing because I am a printer and wanted to make printed fabric but the next step seemed to be natural colours. This is an inspiration, thank you so much. Lovely little girl as well, such fun.
@thomasmccarty09 Thank you. Though I do like the feedback on video length. My videos are much, much longer than something you'd see on tv, but I assume people like a bit more information when they go to the internet. Though it's great to be kept in check with what viewers want.
I could of told this girl to visit Oaxaca Mexico to see how the Artisan work with natural color derive from plants, they been doing it this way, even before the conquest. It surprises me the ignorance of some people and then they call themselves the “FOUNDERS” of what I ask myself, of something that has already been discover and it’s a way of life, that’s how textiles are dyed in other countries, HELLO..
You have absolutely no idea how much I appreciate the videos you put out for your subscribers. I learned so much from just watching this video, so many fascinating facts and even more interesting is being able to see this woman's way of life. Thanks! :-)
How very interesting!! I live in an arctic climate, but I have since long been interested in plant dyes, and now I will start investigating what colours grow around my home! Thanks.
Great video, great information, I actually wished it was longer! I am looking forward to seeing more from you and trying my hand at some of the plants you mentioned as well as several other concoctions I have on my list. I have done a great deal of color experimentation with minerals but now that I am interested in plants, I have another avenue to explore. You give me inspiration! Much appreciated!
Thank you so much what a beautiful soul Sasha you are I am so into learning this process I ordered your book being a image transfer artist I also knit sew so this is or amazing to me Thank you
Natural Dyeing has not ever stopped being a way to produce color on fabric, etc. People all over the world have been doing this for hundreds of years. I myself learned how to use natural dyes while studying Textiles at San Francisco State Univ. over 25 years ago. It never went out of fashion, it was just cheaper for large companies to use synthetic dyes. As with any art form, there are ways to use different materials to achieve different results. Synthetic dyes may not be the "cool" way to dye fiber at the moment, but I do hope you are disposing any dyes that you use a mordant responsibly because some mordents can be more toxic than synthetic dyes. The information is out there. Just check out a university library that has a fiber art program.
I've been trying to find good information on making and using natural dyes without mordant for ages. I'm so glad I subscribed!. I actually dyed my own wedding veil but I had to use a 1920's burgundy velvet flower petal - it produced a beautiful pink and I just hoped at the time that it was a plant dye! A friend used walnut leaf to colour a lime mortar mix for her bathroom walls, it came out an amazing beautiful pale mauve. Thanks for posting, will check out your other sites.
your natural dyes are so beautiful! You said that loquat has mordant in it already so fabric doe sn't need to be prepped with a mordant. Are there other natural dyes that don't require mordants? I don't like to the idea of using alum.
QUESTION: If I understand this correctly, Mordant is a binder that keeps the color from fading after washing. If the natural dye does not have Mordant and you dye cloth (cotton, wool, burlap, etc.) with it, AND you don't wash the cloth, will the color still fade due to exposure of light or fade from age? Thank you.
Have you tried black beans? The pigment in the skins of the beans makes a deep blue violet or red violet with alum, depending on how far you push the PH of the dye bath. They also yield a beautiful muted green blue with sodium carbonate. You can also get a similar range of hues from privet berries. Privet berries are mildly toxic, so black beans are a safer option.
So I had spilled pomegranate on a cotton camisole top I had, and thought wow, that's such a deep color I'll just spill some more into it and let it set up. After the first washing it went to blue tones, then to yellow tones. Now it's a not so attractive yellow color. Should I try to soak it in a mordant and re-dye it? Would it get back to that pink or purply tone? Or is it a list cause now that the yellow is in there? I'm really grateful you've built up such expertise in natural dyes as it's something I've always been curious about!! :-) :-) Happy Earth Day 2014!!
from what i've heard, you should let the fabric soak up in salt water first, then put it into the dye you boiled. the longer it sits in the dye, the stronger the color. the pomegranate might turn into a range of pink like that.
Hi, I would like to do loquat but in your book you do not have a recipe or instruct listed. Can you advise? I have 2 loquat trees in Florida and I love the fruit and the leaves are so beautiful.
Great video, thanks for sharing.. I was just wondering how the colours hold up wash after wash.. will they eventually fade and need to be re dyed? Is the mordant enough to set the colour into the fabric permanently? ... thanks :-)
+67stardust Some natural dyes are very colorfast-both light and wash. Some are lightfast but not washfast, and vis versa. Mordants do help maintain color, some plants are VERY colorfast. There are a lot of variables-really the best way to learn is from an online forum, where you can ask questions and get answers fairly quickly. Also, include regional garden groups if you want to grow your own plants. Not all dye plants will grow everywhere.
I think your video was the perfect length! You are a humble and intelligent woman and I have really benefitted from this video, and am currently experimenting with different plants around San Francisco. I recently moved here, and don't have an incredible oasis as you do, so can you recommend any particular spots where trees and plants of which you mentioned are growing around the city or outside? I have found loquat aplenty and lavender and all that stuff but...
Very interesting, I love it. I wanted to ask anyone that would have an answer, I have a chanel tweed bag that became yellow in certain areas. How can I clean or dye it ?? Thx in advance
Loved the video! You have so much wisdom about dyes and colours and it’s obviously not from books but from living your craft! Are the gardens part of your house? They r beautiful!
...was really wondering about ferns because I would love to get that russet red you spoke about. I picked several different types of fern and boiled them with little result; should it be a specific types or does it depend on the number and color of spores underneath the leaves? What happens after they dry and you wash them? Does it fade, or do you have to wash them separately? Hmm so many questions but I will stop there. The video is fantastic, keep it up!
This is really great, but how do you create the dyes; the recipes? Do you just boil them in water? Do you add salt or anything to the dye? I would like to know what you put in the dye (besides the plant or leaves?)
Hi this is very interesting, but how much lavender to water can you use,also I have 4 aluminum pots my mother used for jams before stainless steel cam out, can I use them as seems a shame not to
Hi! Lovley video, I have done some loquat dyeing recently and I am having ph shift issues from the baking soda in my deodorant? Is there anyway to prevent the shifting?
Tear apart the loquat leaves & lightly simmer them to release the color. Too hot, the color gets rusty looking. You don't need a mordant for fabric dyeing loquats. Works on cotton as well as silk, wool. Good luck.🌿🍃
Michael Choki just because these dyes are from plants doesn’t mean they are all non toxic in manufacture. The dyes in the plants are themselves chemicals. Some so called natural organic dyes are dangerous to make if you don’t take precautions. And if you are allergic to the source plant you will still need to be careful with the dye.
Do you have a book or could you recommend one? I'm a beginning to felt and would love to dye my wool roving with natural dye, because I also believe that you shouldn't put anything toxic next to your skin, but I have zero knowledge in dyeing and would love it if there was a source full of dye recipes
+Christi Dea There are lots of books, also online sites. Just keep in mind, not all plants used in dying are non-toxic. And please use long rubber gloves.
I like long videos, It would have been nice if the lady had been wearing a dress she dyed in a bright yellow, blue, or pink, and the child to, we look forward 2 ur videos :) cs
I liked the video overall. I just get tired of people naming all cones as pine cones. The cone she was handling was not from a pine tree. It was difficult to see completely from the images, but it was most likely from a Douglas Fir tree and would then be considered a fir cone. This sounds picky but I think it needed to be said.
That's so funny you mention that. It's actually called Vocal Fry and it's horrendous. It's such a normal way of speaking now, especially for women. I never noticed it much but now, my husband, who is from Spain, points it out every time we go back stateside. Now, it just drives me mad as well.
For anyone looking for her book, it's called "Natural Color: Vibrant plant dye projects for your home and wardrobe" and her name is Sasha Duerr
Thank you!!
Ordered! Thank you
You are incredible knowledge full. I was a teacher of gymnastics for 26 yrs. now a carpenter for 16 yrs. found you on a recommended video of the vertical garden in Wyoming? I think? I feel a bing watch coming on. Just having a new tablet has opened a whole new world to me. Thank you
This never gets old! I have watched this when it was first posted and still revisit every now and then.
What an inspiring way to reconnect with the environment! "Living Color" is an apt description for this!
you should write a book on all the different things you have used and how to make each of dyes along with the colors that you can get from them depending on the different fibers you are dyeing.
agreed
slso agree. i would buy that book
I presume that you are the woman behind the camera Kirsten, rather than the natural dyer in front of the camera. Can you give us more information about her, such as her name! I’d be very interested in finding out more about her.
Definitely. I’d buy that.
There are tons of books on the subject. Revelry 's forum has lots of seasoned dyers suggesting books.
This is so wonderful. I'm a fibre major in university and this makes me want to run home and get dyeing! Thank you for this inspiring video.
The people are always talking about how you're able to get so many colors from everything but then they are always just wearing black...or tan. I found a chair out by our dumpster and remembered that I had a small amount of Kelly Green dye under my sink. I know nothing about natural dyes other than your videos but my chair made me happy. Haha.
This is awesome. I'm so glad you posted this. I've been wanting to dye some clothing, but not with the chemical dyes that are available. Thank you for the valuable source of knowledge. I love everything you post. As I write this, I am watching all your videos from your oldest post to the current. Don't know how long it will take me to see everything, but it's my goal to see them all. Again, thanks.
I have just started with natural dyeing because I am a printer and wanted to make printed fabric but the next step seemed to be natural colours. This is an inspiration, thank you so much. Lovely little girl as well, such fun.
@thomasmccarty09 Thank you. Though I do like the feedback on video length. My videos are much, much longer than something you'd see on tv, but I assume people like a bit more information when they go to the internet. Though it's great to be kept in check with what viewers want.
I could of told this girl to visit Oaxaca Mexico to see how the Artisan work with natural color derive from plants, they been doing it this way, even before the conquest. It surprises me the ignorance of some people and then they call themselves the “FOUNDERS” of what I ask myself, of something that has already been discover and it’s a way of life, that’s how textiles are dyed in other countries, HELLO..
What a beautiful and inspiring session, thank you so much!
You have absolutely no idea how much I appreciate the videos you put out for your subscribers. I learned so much from just watching this video, so many fascinating facts and even more interesting is being able to see this woman's way of life. Thanks! :-)
How very interesting!! I live in an arctic climate, but I have since long been interested in plant dyes, and now I will start investigating what colours grow around my home! Thanks.
Great video, great information, I actually wished it was longer! I am looking forward to seeing more from you and trying my hand at some of the plants you mentioned as well as several other concoctions I have on my list. I have done a great deal of color experimentation with minerals but now that I am interested in plants, I have another avenue to explore. You give me inspiration! Much appreciated!
Wow, your gardens are gorgeous, I love it. I've wanted something like that for so long.
Thanks for the tips, some great things to try. I'm going to experiment with fig leaves, red cabbage and avocado seeds. :-)
Thank you Kirsten and Sasha!
Thank you so much what a beautiful soul Sasha you are I am so into learning this process I ordered your book being a image transfer artist I also knit sew so this is or amazing to me Thank you
Natural Dyeing has not ever stopped being a way to produce color on fabric, etc. People all over the world have been doing this for hundreds of years. I myself learned how to use natural dyes while studying Textiles at San Francisco State Univ. over 25 years ago. It never went out of fashion, it was just cheaper for large companies to use synthetic dyes. As with any art form, there are ways to use different materials to achieve different results. Synthetic dyes may not be the "cool" way to dye fiber at the moment, but I do hope you are disposing any dyes that you use a mordant responsibly because some mordents can be more toxic than synthetic dyes. The information is out there. Just check out a university library that has a fiber art program.
I've been trying to find good information on making and using natural dyes without mordant for ages. I'm so glad I subscribed!. I actually dyed my own wedding veil but I had to use a 1920's burgundy velvet flower petal - it produced a beautiful pink and I just hoped at the time that it was a plant dye! A friend used walnut leaf to colour a lime mortar mix for her bathroom walls, it came out an amazing beautiful pale mauve. Thanks for posting, will check out your other sites.
your natural dyes are so beautiful! You said that loquat has mordant in it already so fabric doe sn't need to be prepped with a mordant. Are there other natural dyes that don't require mordants? I don't like to the idea of using alum.
Very great ideas! Or like Julie said, old wisdom. How big is your yard to house all your plants?
QUESTION: If I understand this correctly, Mordant is a binder that keeps the color from fading after washing. If the natural dye does not have Mordant and you dye cloth (cotton, wool, burlap, etc.) with it, AND you don't wash the cloth, will the color still fade due to exposure of light or fade from age? Thank you.
how do you know when the best time to pick the plant for dying is? and what about when you want it to still pollinate for the following year?
Have you tried black beans? The pigment in the skins of the beans makes a deep blue violet or red violet with alum, depending on how far you push the PH of the dye bath. They also yield a beautiful muted green blue with sodium carbonate. You can also get a similar range of hues from privet berries. Privet berries are mildly toxic, so black beans are a safer option.
Love the video. She seems so zen, maybe it has alot to do with being around all that nature. We are crazy here in LA :D
So I had spilled pomegranate on a cotton camisole top I had, and thought wow, that's such a deep color I'll just spill some more into it and let it set up.
After the first washing it went to blue tones, then to yellow tones. Now it's a not so attractive yellow color. Should I try to soak it in a mordant and re-dye it? Would it get back to that pink or purply tone? Or is it a list cause now that the yellow is in there?
I'm really grateful you've built up such expertise in natural dyes as it's something I've always been curious about!! :-) :-)
Happy Earth Day 2014!!
from what i've heard, you should let the fabric soak up in salt water first, then put it into the dye you boiled. the longer it sits in the dye, the stronger the color. the pomegranate might turn into a range of pink like that.
Hi, I would like to do loquat but in your book you do not have a recipe or instruct listed. Can you advise? I have 2 loquat trees in Florida and I love the fruit and the leaves are so beautiful.
Love your video, how amazing. Have you tried dying fabrics using papaya leaves?, apparently gives natural green colour.
So pretty, and so cool! And the colours coming from some of the plants are amazing.
Great video, thanks for sharing.. I was just wondering how the colours hold up wash after wash.. will they eventually fade and need to be re dyed? Is the mordant enough to set the colour into the fabric permanently? ... thanks :-)
+67stardust
Some natural dyes are very colorfast-both light and wash. Some are lightfast but not washfast, and vis versa. Mordants do help maintain color, some plants are VERY colorfast. There are a lot of variables-really the best way to learn is from an online forum, where you can ask questions and get answers fairly quickly. Also, include regional garden groups if you want to grow your own plants. Not all dye plants will grow everywhere.
I think your video was the perfect length! You are a humble and intelligent woman and I have really benefitted from this video, and am currently experimenting with different plants around San Francisco. I recently moved here, and don't have an incredible oasis as you do, so can you recommend any particular spots where trees and plants of which you mentioned are growing around the city or outside? I have found loquat aplenty and lavender and all that stuff but...
Just from this one video... I am converted!
Very interesting, I love it. I wanted to ask anyone that would have an answer, I have a chanel tweed bag that became yellow in certain areas. How can I clean or dye it ?? Thx in advance
I can't believe I found your channel am actually dyeing lace and trim with avocado skins!!!!
Diana
Loved the video! You have so much wisdom about dyes and colours and it’s obviously not from books but from living your craft!
Are the gardens part of your house? They r beautiful!
...was really wondering about ferns because I would love to get that russet red you spoke about. I picked several different types of fern and boiled them with little result; should it be a specific types or does it depend on the number and color of spores underneath the leaves? What happens after they dry and you wash them? Does it fade, or do you have to wash them separately? Hmm so many questions but I will stop there.
The video is fantastic, keep it up!
What a beautiful house house
YOu have a beautiful garden!
This is really great, but how do you create the dyes; the recipes? Do you just boil them in water? Do you add salt or anything to the dye? I would like to know what you put in the dye (besides the plant or leaves?)
+Hey Juday
There are a lot of books as well as online free info. Fiber/dye artists forums online are a great place to learn.
Wow. Makes me wish I had a garden.
It's called Adie + George. There's a link to it in the text.
Very interesting video. Thank you so much for sharing. Do you have any favorite books you've used for dyeing?
Hi this is very interesting, but how much lavender to water can you use,also I have 4 aluminum pots my mother used for jams before stainless steel cam out, can I use them as seems a shame not to
Loved this beautiful and informative video. Thank you! Do you think that these dyes would work for unfinished wood? Thanks again!
Hi! Lovley video, I have done some loquat dyeing recently and I am having ph shift issues from the baking soda in my deodorant? Is there anyway to prevent the shifting?
Do you have to dry the leave first or can you just add them to the pot.
this is so fascinating. thank you for sharing this!
Are loquat leaves boiled before inserted the fabric? Are the leaves dried and pounded into a powder?
Tear apart the loquat leaves & lightly simmer them to release the color. Too hot, the color gets rusty looking. You don't need a mordant for fabric dyeing loquats. Works on cotton as well as silk, wool. Good luck.🌿🍃
How do you make the avocado dye, please? Would it work with cotton paper?
I'm wanting to make or find organic dyes to put in my homemade soaps and lip balm's… Would these work?
Thank you for sharing your awesome video. I enjoyed it so much....
I tried over-dyeing indigo with turmeric to make green. All I got was blellow and stained fingers.
Where do u get ur cloths from to dye??
i would like to dye my white pants black..can you suggest something i can use ? btw, i live in apt and no green here yet..thanks
How to get dark black colour kindly advice.
So, the walnut leaves gave ' green brown' or ' dark brown?
Is there any info on which plants don't need Mordant please.Thanks.
Walnut husks. They make a warm medium brown
love this vid- so low key. You mentioned selling a lone of clothing. can't find it. Do you?
Amazing video thank you so much for posting.
I wonder what color you get from house plants? hmmmm
Do you just soak the fabrics in the dyes?
Does the dye wash or fade quickly?
Walnut gives a dark brown if steeped strong enough it leans towards black.
how did u get that warm color on the bottom of your circle embriodery top?
did you say loquat leaves? or was it iron?
try pandan leaf (pandanus) & suji leaf (Dracaena angustifolia) for green dye
Hi Sasha, are these dyes good for using on 15.5 micron merino wool tops?
Excellent video, very impressive how much you know! :)
Can i dye wood with a dye i make from plants and tree bark in my yard?
yes
I like the long videos:) they are my fav ones I just wish the lady had worn bright colors, long videos good cs
this is so awesome
i've seriously never heard anybody ever know what sour grass is.
it grows so much near my grammas house. OOOH CHILDHOOD:)
great, i hope organic dye is getting more popularity and research because some is still very dangerous
Michael Choki just because these dyes are from plants doesn’t mean they are all non toxic in manufacture. The dyes in the plants are themselves chemicals.
Some so called natural organic dyes are dangerous to make if you don’t take precautions. And if you are allergic to the source plant you will still need to be careful with the dye.
WHAT ARE THE STEPS TO FOLLOW UP?
Really cool
sorry I saw Sasha's name and I thought you were she!!! I went to subscribe and then saw your name. Anyway do you know about loquat?
Very nice
Exactly am looking for n I scrolling down to see if someone know how to dye my favorite purple dress because I splashed the bleach on it 😥
Do you have a book or could you recommend one? I'm a beginning to felt and would love to dye my wool roving with natural dye, because I also believe that you shouldn't put anything toxic next to your skin, but I have zero knowledge in dyeing and would love it if there was a source full of dye recipes
+Christi Dea
There are lots of books, also online sites. Just keep in mind, not all plants used in dying are non-toxic. And please use long rubber gloves.
I like long videos, It would have been nice if the lady had been wearing a dress she dyed in a bright yellow, blue, or pink, and the child to, we look forward 2 ur videos :) cs
I liked the video overall. I just get tired of people naming all cones as pine cones. The cone she was handling was not from a pine tree. It was difficult to see completely from the images, but it was most likely from a Douglas Fir tree and would then be considered a fir cone. This sounds picky but I think it needed to be said.
Love this, but it would have been great to go through colours one by one.
podes mandar con subtitulo en español..?gracias
All these hues are rather dull. You can get such vibrant colors from plants though!
I think you would have to use some type of modifier
where would i get walnut from ?
grow it
sweet
Amazing video !
ah- thank you!
I see it now! :)
in every frame that baby is escaping
thumbs up for creativity but 375 dollars a blouse is totally wrong.
:)
I've always wondered why Americans speak with this throaty voice.
That's so funny you mention that. It's actually called Vocal Fry and it's horrendous. It's such a normal way of speaking now, especially for women. I never noticed it much but now, my husband, who is from Spain, points it out every time we go back stateside. Now, it just drives me mad as well.