Daniel Ashworth
Why natural dyeing suits British gardens
There is something deeply satisfying about turning a bag of onion skins, a patch of nettles or a handful of faded rose petals into colour. British gardens and hedgerows offer a surprisingly generous palette, from warm golds to soft greens and dusty pinks. These are not the bright, uniform shades of a packet dye. They are gentle, shifting and unique, which makes them perfect for handmade textiles that feel at home in a cottage, a Victorian terrace or a modern flat. You do not need specialist equipment or a studio. A large stainless steel or enamel pan, a wooden spoon kept just for dyeing, and a free afternoon will do. The colours may fade over time, but that slow change is part of their charm.
Getting your fabric and pots ready
Before you dye, think about your fibre. Protein fibres such as wool, silk, alpaca and mohair take natural dyes most readily. Cellulose fibres like cotton, linen and hemp need a little more help. For either, a mordant helps the colour bond to the cloth. Alum is the safest and most common choice for home dyers. Use about 10% alum and 5% cream of tartar by weight of dry fibre. Dissolve both in hot water, add your wetted fibre, and simmer gently for an hour. Let it cool overnight, then rinse. For cellulose fibres, first treat with tannin: brew strong black tea, simmer the fabric in it for an hour, and rinse before mordanting.
- Pots: Keep dedicated dye pots. Never use those you cook with. Stainless steel, enamel or glass are ideal.
- Utensils: Wooden spoons, tongs and measuring jugs should also be kept for dyeing only.
- Water: Hard water shifts colours towards yellow and brown. Rainwater or filtered water gives clearer greens and pinks.
- Safety: Work in a ventilated space, wear gloves, and label all containers clearly.
Onion skins: the everyday gold
Yellow onion skins give warm golds, ambers and soft oranges. Red onion skins lean towards olive, bronze or soft green, especially with an iron modifier. Collect skins in a paper bag as you cook; freezing them keeps them fresh until you have enough. You need roughly the same weight of dry skins as dry fibre, though more skins give a deeper colour. Simmer the skins in water for 45 minutes, strain, then add your mordanted fibre. Keep the temperature below a simmer—about 80°C—for an hour. Stir gently. Leave overnight. The result is a golden hue that suits wool blankets, linen napkins and cotton tote bags. For a deeper, browner tone, add a teaspoon of iron water (made by soaking rusty nails in vinegar and water for a week) to the dye bath after removing the fibre, then return it briefly.
Nettles: soft greens and olives
Nettles are a forager’s friend. Pick the top four leaves of young plants in spring, before they flower, wearing gloves. You need a generous bunch—about 500g for 100g of fibre. Simmer the nettles for an hour, strain, and add mordanted fibre. Nettles give a range of greens from pale celery to deep olive, depending on the fibre and the water. Wool takes a soft sage; silk becomes a brighter apple green. For a stronger, more permanent green, add a handful of chopped nettle roots to the bath. Iron water will sadden the colour to a dark olive or grey-green. Nettles also dye eggs at Easter, a traditional British craft. The dye is lightfast enough for indoor textiles but will fade in direct sun.
Rose petals and other garden flowers
Rose petals, especially deep red and dark pink varieties, yield delicate pinks, mauves and soft greys. Dried petals work better than fresh; you need about twice the weight of fibre. Simmer gently for 30 minutes, strain, and dye mordanted silk or wool. The colour is often fleeting because roses are pH sensitive. Add a splash of vinegar to shift towards pink; a pinch of bicarbonate of soda brings out blues and greens. Other British garden flowers worth trying include lavender for grey-blue, marigold for yellow, dahlia for orange to rust, and hollyhock for purple. Always pick flowers that are past their best but not mouldy. Avoid toxic plants such as foxglove, lupin and monkshood.
Modifying colours and caring for your dyed textiles
One dye bath can give several colours. After dyeing, divide your fibre. Leave one piece as it is. Dip another in iron water for 30 seconds to darken and sadden the shade. Dip a third in a weak vinegar bath to brighten pinks and reds, or in bicarbonate of soda water to shift greens and blues. Rinse dyed fibre in cool water until it runs clear. Wash separately for the first few times with a pH-neutral soap, such as a gentle wool wash. Dry in the shade, away from direct sun. Natural dyes are fugitive; expect fading over years, which many makers find beautiful. Store your finished textiles in a dark drawer or cupboard. With a little care, your onion-skin gold or nettle green will last for many seasons.
