TEACHER'S GUIDE TO

History and Folklife of the Kentucky Frontier

CLASSROOM ACTIVITY

Dyeing Fabric

Dyeing fabric is a fairly simple, but time-consuming exercise. You may prefer to break it up over the 
course of several days or even weeks. Many familiar materials may be used to add color to fabric. 

For this activity you will need:
     About 1 pound of dye material for every pound of fabric 
     Kerchief-sized pieces of lightweight unbleached muslin or any untreated cotton fabric 
     Two large enameled pans (aluminum and stainless steel may affect the color of the dye)
     Ammonia
     Vinegar, salt or alum to set the color
     Clothesline and clothespins
     Rubber gloves

1. Gather some dye materials.  Refer to frontier crafts for a list of natural dyes.  Some that are 
easily found in large quanties are:

tea leaves/ground coffee	brown
dry onion skins	orange
grape juice	purple
copper pennies	blue-green
beets	pink

 

2. Prewash the fabric to remove any factory sizing.

3.  To the pennies add ammonia and allow the metal to soak for several days, until the color 
is a deep blue-green.  Soak a piece of wet fabric in the copper mixture until the color is a 
shade darker than desired.  Rinse the fabric in cold water and hang to dry.

4.  Place any of the plant or vegetable materials in enough water to cover.  Soak overnight.  
Crush or pulverize dye material in the liquid.  Bring to a boil and simmer until a deep color is 
obtained or about an hour. Let water cool. Strain.

5.  Pour dye concentrate into a large pan.  Add enough water to cover the fabric to be dyed.  
Add a mordant (salt, alum, or vinegar) to set the color--about 1 oz. for every gallon of water.  
Add wet fabric.  Simmer at least one hour, until fabric is a shade darker than desired.  Stir 
occasionally.  Rinse fabric in cold water until the water rinses clear.  Hang to dry away from 
direct heat or sun.

6. After completing the activity, make a chart of the colors obtained from various plant materials 
and the copper.  Have students research how fabric dyes are created today.  Are any of the 
coloring agents similar to those used by pioneers?  How do natural dyes compare with synthetic 
dyes?  Is there an environmental concern with dyes being introduced into ecosystems?

This activity comes from A Teacher's Guide to Pioneer Life in South Central Kentucky, by

Nancy Disher Baird and Carol Crowe-Carraco.