With "the military look" being popular this fall, I thought I'd mention that Black Walnut hulls (the fleshy green part) make and excellent Natural "OD" Green dye.
It's simply the easiest thing!
1) Hit walnuts with hammer to break 'shell'. Place green hulls (the more hull, the richer the color of dye) into a pot (mark for DYE use only, as some plants used for dyeing are poisonous if ingested)
2) Fill with water and slowly heat water to 170 degrees over an hour or so. Make sure to slowly heat the water, as boiling can ruin the dye for fabrics, textiles and wool.
3.) Once it is up to temp, leave it to 'cook' over the next hour.
This is a range of colors that can be achieved with Walnut dye.
4.) Immerse textiles to be Dyed in cold water. Let them sit in water during your hour simmer.
5.) Once hour has passed remove textile from water bath, and introduce it to the dye pot. Leave for 3-4 minutes. Check the depth of color, and feel free to place back into dye bath if the color isn't as dark as you'd like it to be.
There is a wide variety of color to be had with natural colorants like flowers, grasses and nuts, so you can bet I'll be planning next year's garden around flowers I can dye with!
This silk scarf was dyed with Japanese Indigo. This annual self seeds here in zone 7 and will supply you with three batches of Indigo dye a season!
Indigo Dye pot getting ready for dyeing!
Suggested reading:
A Dyer's Garden: From Plant to Pot: Growing Dyes for Natural Fibers by Rita Buchanan
A Weaver's Garden: Growing Plants for Natural Dyes and Fibers by Rita Buchanan
Natural Dyes and Home Dyeing (Formerly Titled: Natural Dyes in the United States) by Rita J. Adrosko
The Craft of Natural Dyeing: Glowing Colours from the Plant World by Jenny Dean
The Chemistry of Natural Dyes (Palette of Color Series) by Dianne N. Epp and Mickey Sarquis
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