Harrowsmith – September 2019

Harrowsmith Fall 2019 | 45

Materials

you’ll need

• Largestockpot


• Steady heat
  source


• Large tongs


• Slottedspoon


• Timer


• Twosmall
  plastictubs


• Natural liquid
  soap


• Dyematerial


• Freshwater


• Natural fabric
  or fibres

How to Make Jes +

Jessica’s Basic Black

Wa lnut D ye

Add about 10 fresh, frozen, dried or canned

intact black walnuts (Jes did a combo of fresh

and canned) to a stockpot three-quarters full

of water. Boil for at least an hour. Strain, then

reduce water to a simmer.

Wet your fabric/fibres. Introduce your wet

fabric to dye bath. Stir with tongs, making

sure to completely saturate every crease. Stir

every 15 minutes to ensure that folds aren’t

dyeing unevenly.

Pull fabric from pot to check for colour; remove

fabric when you’re happy with the saturation.

(Optional: Turn off heat and leave in dye bath

overnight for deeper dye.)

Add fabric to soapy water bin and stir for a

few minutes.

Remove, gently wring and add to fresh water to

rinse, or put under a hose until water runs clear.

Gently wring again. Hang to dry.