It’s no secret that I’ve recently become a huge fan of dyeing the bits of papers and fabrics that I can’t seem to part with using natural materials. My first attempt was creating a dye using avocado pits, and when I discovered the beautiful yet unpredictable results, I was hooked. After noticing I had accumulated a number of fabric and paper scraps, as well as odd lengths of ribbon and string, I decided it to was time to once again dive into the world of natural dyes. This time I turned to red cabbage. I chopped up what was left in my refrigerator crisper, put it in a stockpot, adding a bit of white vinegar, and filled the pot with water. I brought the water to a boil, covered it with a lid, and then turned it down to simmer for several hours. When I was happy with the color, I turned off the heat, removed the cabbage from the water, and added the fabric and paper scraps, and ribbon and string to the dye bath. I let this sit overnight and then removed the materials from the dye and placed them on a towel to thoroughly dye. You can see the full collection of what I dyed in the Winter 2023 issue of GreenCraft Magazine. I was enamored with the various shades of blue and purple the dye had created, especially in the coffee filters I included. I knew they would be perfect for wrapping some handmade bath bombs. To do this, I placed a bath bomb in the center of a dyed filter, gathered the filter edges around the bath bomb, and secured it with twine. To finish I tucked small flowers behind the twine. If you’ve been curious about the world of natural dyes, I urge you to give it a try. You won’t regret it.
