How to Make Dye Out of Fruits & Vegetables

Make homemade dyes from fruits and vegetables.

Fruits and vegetables can often be used to dye light cloth objects, such as yarn. Onion skins, grape juice and beets create some of the strongest dyes.

Things You'll Need

• Pots
• Timer
• Tongs
• Stove
• Strainer
• Grater
• Salt
• Water
• Skins of yellow onions
• Frozen grape juice
• Beets

Instructions

1. 

   Boil onion skins in 3 quarts of water. Reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally. The mixture will reduce and the dye bath will begin to color. After one hour, remove the skins and pour the mixture through a strainer and add 4 tbsp. of salt.

2. 

   Bring two large cans of frozen grape juice, four cans of water and 4 tbsp. of salt to a boil. This will create a rich dye.

3. Wash beets thoroughly to remove dirt. Remove the tops from the beets, place in a pot with 3 quarts of water and boil until soft. Once cooled, remove beets from water and grate into the remaining water. Boil shavings for 30 minutes, strain gratings from mixture, and the remaining liquid will be the dye.

References

• DIY Life: Natural Dyes with Fruits and Vegetables
• Lion Brand Yarn: By Kids, For Kids: Natural Dyes from Edible Items

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish