How to Use Walnut Shells

There are many things you can do with walnut shells, from crushing them for mulch to painting them for use as Christmas ornaments. Creating fabric dye is one of the easiest ways to use walnut shells. You can use this dye on any fabric or yarn.

Things You'll Need

• Large pot
• Water
• Walnut shells
• Salt
• Fabric, yarn, or cloth that you wish to dye
• Strainer

Instructions

How to Use Walnut Shells

1. Bring 7 cups of water to boil in a large cooking pot. Add a few hefty pinches of salt and the walnut shells, halved or crushed. At least two cups of shells are needed, but adding more will make the dye richer in color. Leave the green casings inside the shells intact. Boil shells for one and a half hours.

2. Soak the fabric in hot water while you use a strainer to remove the shells from the pot. Discard the shells and leave the dye water on simmer.

3. Remove the soaking fabric from the hot water and submerge in the simmering dye water. As you simmer the fabric, you will notice that the color is changing from yellow to brown. The longer you simmer the fabric, the darker it will become. If you want to achieve the darkest color possible, turn off the heat and let the fabric sit in the dye overnight. The result will be almost black. When fabric is the color you like, hang it to dry.

Tips & Warnings

• While dying the fabric, use a wooden spoon to remove it from the pot occasionally to get a good look at the intensity of the color.

References

• 101 things to do with walnut shells
• Using walnut shells for dye

Resources

• Walnut shell craft ideas