Fabric Dyeing 101
Have you ever stained your fave tee with an errant raspberry? The easy fix is to dye the whole thing…with said raspberries.
Tori Kendrew’s amazing kitchen supplies and smoothie bowls have been making their way around the Internet from Instagram to foodie bloggers. They’re expertly crafted with organic supplies and dyes and we were lucky enough to get a chance to learn her methods at her workshop last Thursday—and try her famous trail mix!
Unlike the restrictive tie-dye world you might have experienced as a kid (or was that just me?) you can use anything you’d like when you dye your fabric. We made patterned scarves and used everything from clothespins and wooden shapes to little bobby pins. Look at some of the patterns you could create!
After we pulled our rubber bands tight, it was time to dunk our newly tied scarves in hot vinegar. This helps the dye to set. At this point we were picking Tori's brain about what could go wrong:
Don’t make your pattern too tight. This means the dye can’t reach the full design and the middle of our folds or wrinkles could remain very white.
Your pattern could be too loose. And this was where we got a little worried…how do I know it’s just right? What’s the Goldilocks of tightness?
Leave your fabric in longer for a darker color. Nothing says you can’t take it out earlier for a bit of a pastel, but keep in mind, when you wash it might lighten up a little.
You can reuse your dye baths. It might get lighter as you reuse, but if you’re looking for a range of color this could be a good way to get there.
After their hot vinegar bath, it was time for decisions: onion, raspberry, or blackberry? And I’m sure you’re thinking what we were thinking: Onion? I hear you, but you can get some distinct colors out of onionskins. Rusty oranges from white onions and some interesting greens from Vidalia onions!
As you can see the choice was difficult, but we all dropped our scarves into the dye and hoped for the best. Follow Tori on Instagram to see our final creations once they get their final wash: @kitchenandkraft.
Rather die, than try to dye? Buy some of Tori’s beautifully dyed creations in the HausWitch store! Or, get your inner creator on and keep an eye on the events page to join us for Tori’s next workshop.
