Natural dyeing with avocado pits
Are you tired of using synthetic dyes and looking for a more natural and eco-friendly alternative? Look no further than your kitchen! Avocado pits, the seed at the center of the fruit, can be used to create a beautiful range of colors from light pink to deep burgundy.
Here's how to get started with natural dyeing using avocado pits:
Gather your materials. You'll need avocado pits, fabric or fibers you'd like to dye (such as cotton, wool, or silk), a pot for boiling, and a strainer.
Clean and dry the avocado pits. Rinse off any remaining fruit and let the pits dry completely.
Grind the pits. Use a mortar and pestle or a food processor to grind the pits into a fine powder. The finer the powder, the more vibrant the color will be.
Extract the dye. Place the ground avocado pits in a pot of water and bring to a boil. Let the mixture simmer for 30 minutes to an hour, until the water has taken on a deep pink or burgundy color. Strain the dye through a fine-mesh strainer to remove any solids.
Mordant your fabric. Before dyeing your fabric, you'll need to mordant it to help the color set. Mordanting is the process of treating the fabric with a substance that helps the dye adhere to the fibers. To mordant your fabric, mix 1 part alum (a naturally occurring mineral) to 5 parts water in a pot. Add your fabric to the pot and simmer for an hour. Rinse the fabric in cold water and set aside to dry.
Dye your fabric. Once your fabric is mordanted, it's ready to be dyed. Add the extracted avocado pit dye to a pot of water and bring to a simmer. Add your fabric to the pot and simmer for an hour or until the desired color is achieved. Rinse the fabric in cold water and hang to dry.
And that's it! You now have a beautiful piece of naturally dyed fabric using avocado pits. Experiment with the ratio of pits to water and the length of time you simmer the dye to achieve different shades of pink and burgundy. You can also mix avocado pit dye with other natural dyes, such as beetroot or turmeric, to create unique shades. Happy natural dyeing!
