Collect It

Plants

Plant dyes

Have you ever wondered what the color or dye on your clothes, paper or ink is made from? There are many different ways to make dyes including using colorful plants, berries and flowers to dye fabric, paper and ink. Follow these simple instructions to learn how to make your own plant dyes. You may want to ask an adult for help with this one ‘cause it can get really messy – enjoy!

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What you’ll need:

Apron to protect your clothes
8 cups (2 litres) of water
Large basket full of plant pieces broken into small bits
Large pot
Stove or campfire to boil your mixture (ask an adult for help)
Cotton or wool string, or t-shirt
Wooden spoon

Tips:

Some plants are deceiving and their color in nature actually produces a very different colored dye once you boil it. Use the color chart on the side of this page to guide you.
Try putting same colored plant pieces together for a purer color.
Mix a few dyes together to make other colors.
Use your colored string to make other crafts or to wrap packages.