HOW TO MAKE NATURAL DYE WITH ACORNS | ORGANIC COLOR | BEIGE BROWN BLACK GREEN | TANNIN | SHIBORI

[@barbaracabrera207]

That is beautiful and SO COOL!!! I saw bunch of acorns in my son's yard last week. They were beautiful. But I couldn't think of anything to DO with them. So I left them. I will have to go back and get them now!!! Right now I'm dyeing paper and fabrics with Malibar spinach seeds I grew. I did it 1st time last season. They make fuchsia dye that's gorgeous!!! The VINES make light brown pinkish dye. Also very nice. I added iron to last batch for gray pink dye. Also very cool. Learned THAT from YOU!!! I love your videos. And the history and details you share. Like weevils!!! Always wondered about the little round HOLE in acorns. Definitely gonna try doing acorn dye. Thx for vid. Austin,TX USA

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

You will definitely have to go collecting! I'm going to go out this weekend while traveling in Prague to look for oak or some other treasure to create local natural color. Thank you for sharing about your Malibar spinach seeds - always lovely to learn about new dye sources. Many thanks for joining us here and your kind words about the content 💕I have learned so much myself from the exploration I'm doing to create these videos. So much fun to share!

[@somepinkflowers]

That design from the clothespins 💕💕🌸👏🏽💕👏🏽🌸🌸 Brilliant.

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Thank you, Bonnie! I tend to love to simple stuff 💚

[@kevinjohansson9187]

Its important to care for ol life in nature smal and big. My hops are that more people start to do so the planet can recover. With love joanna

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

You speak the truth, Joanna 🤎 Thanks for joining our family at Color Quest!

[@jean-christophebouffard6928]

Love to see acorns being used here ! Indeed we need to remove tannins for it to be edible, which signals it will be a nice long lasting natural dye ! Thanks for the content as always Margaret 🙌!!

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

I love these results too, although was not as thrilled about my little friends hanging out in my backpack after foraging 😉 Tannin is pretty amazing stuff 🤎 Always a pleasure sharing with you as well!

[@sandytwinkie]

Thank you. I have 2 big bags full so excited sorry about the previous comment I should have listened all through. You describe this so wonderfully

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Sounds like a great foraging time for you! Happy to hear the video instructions were clear. Have fun 🤎

[@vanessaboman8143]

The oak has always been my favourite tree for most of my life. Now it's got another use for me..I have used the leaves in eco dying... And the cups for nests in a project years ago. We have lots of acorn trees here...

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Oaks are true giving trees 💚 I had oaks in my yard growing up and while living in CA, but they are strangely absent from my immediate surroundings now. Hope you enjoy the acorns in your dye pot!

[@kirantewari2840]

Wow

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Pretty cool, right? I just love what iron can do in a tannin environment 🤎

[@lalagamma4452]

Who said squirrels aren't smart?? That iron shift pattern would be a beautiful material for clothing. Namaste 🐞

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Our animal friends are as clever as they come! Agreed - I loved the pattern as well as that rich olive green 💚

[@ChrisASimon]

Thank you so much for your wonderful channel and for sharing your knowledge and adventures Many hugs from Germany

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

You are most welcome - thank you for joining us here at Color Quest! HugHug from Seattle 🤎

[@mccarthyhome]

So cool!

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Thanks, Anne! So happy you enjoyed the video 🤎

[@SmallFossy]

I’ve been thinking of trying acorns recently, thanks for the video it’s given me the encouragement to go collect some. Do you know if horse chestnuts dye as well?

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

So happy this video gave you that spark to try acorn dye! I have not yet tried chestnuts, but that may be on the menu while I'm traveling. I have a strong suspicion they will also share their color with you, so if you have them locally, try it out and let us know 🤎

[@tiffhop3544]

Love this video and that print❤❤!! I have to say I found out about acorn dyeing a few months ago and I have been acorn dyeing everything like a crazy dyer😂..I was too late in the season for the fresh ones so mine had been on the ground for a while but they still give off the best yellows..browns..grays and black with rusty bits..I admit sometimes I get busy and leave mine soaking in the dye pot for a few days and they just get darker and gorgeous but I have used the same acorns in 10 dye pot sessions especially the rusty bit pot I get absolutely gorgeous grays and black on silk..I love my indigo vat in the summer but I think acorns are my new winter love..hoping to get the green you got one day❤❤..TFS🤗🤗

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Many thanks, Tiff, you wild dyer, you! I was super pleased with the results too and the color was luscious. There are so many amazing dye stuffs from trees - the more I forage and experiment, the more amazed I am. I also love to leave my dye matter to soak for long periods of time and always try for an exhaust bath or two, but wow, 10 dye pot sessions from the same acorns? See - that is some powerful stuff that nature provides for us 🤎 Enjoy your hunt for green, but wrap yourself up in all that neutral bliss in the meantime!

[@tiffhop3544]

@@MargaretByrdColorQuest Yess🙆 I can't exhaust them lol..I just keep filling the pot up and simmer using the same acorns 😍..I live in VA and I love to explore and gather for dyeing and ecoprints. I must admit I love the endless variations of neutrals that I get from dyeing experiments..no two are ever alike😉Your videos are awesome❤ and have me taking a second look on my walks for nature items I never thought would give colors❤..TFS🤗🤗

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

@@tiffhop3544 Best acorns ever! I also have come to love neutrals in a whole new way and truly appreciate the endless variations that nature provides. It is magical! Many thanks for being here and your kind words about the videos. Sharing this passion with others makes it that much sweeter 💚

[@somepinkflowers]

It’s been a year but I’m back here revisiting 🎉 this episode because I have ACORNS ‼️ & you’re my Go To Peep. 🌸🌸🌸

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Yay to acorns!! So happy to see you pop back up here. Honored to say the least 😊 Have fun with those nuts 🤎

[@lucindawilson5510]

thank you

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

You are most welcome, Lucinda 🤎

[@lauraseay4723]

Would you use a grinder if possible? I dont want to break mine on some nuts. My land lord had a chestnut tree but cut it down! Darn it, i do have walnut trees around. Can the green part give a green color? Such pretty color.

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

If you have a good grinder that you can 'retire' to you dye studio, why not give it a try? Always best to keep your dye utensils separate from your cooking utensils, though. Bummer about the chestnut tree, but yes, grab some of those green walnut hulls, although they will bring you lush browns in your dye studio, not green 🤎 Believe it or not, green is tough to find in the natural dye studio, but I have a few videos in the library focused on ways to bring about green in the dye pot, so check those out for ideas 💚

[@darinakalinova2180]

You are joking. Greeting from a Czech woman living in the Netherlands. Prague is amazing City. Hope you had lovely time there. And thank you for the video. We have a lit of the oak trees here. So I am going out. 🍀🌷

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

We had an amazing time in such a lovely city - thank you, Darina 🤎 My daughter had the time of her life studying there for the semester and I am so grateful we got to visit. Happy foraging amongst the oaks!

[@sandytwinkie]

Did I use a mordant on this fabric

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

You do not need to use a mordant for this project because of the tannin content of acorns and the mordant strength of iron water. Both of these act has natural binders for dye to adhere best to the fiber.

[@allisonstone6748]

You made it so good 💕 Really nice print by the way. I tried to dye fabric too ( cotton as always 😊) and I got it! I got nice light shape. It's like really light brown and yellow, or more like beige, I guess... Sadly, I hadn't a lot of acorns, so maybe it wasn't like in vid. Anyway, it was awesome experience ✨

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Thank you so much, Allison 🤎 So great that it worked for you, too. I suspect mine turned out more gold/green because I pre-treated my cotton with aluminum acetate, but it could also be the acorns themselves. Environment influences everything!

[@allisonstone6748]

@@MargaretByrdColorQuest you are totally right

[@karenyoung1412]

Would you please add to you list the kind of material and size you are using! that would be very helpful for me as I am a beginner...thanks

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Hi Karen - thanks for your request. I typically mention the type of fiber I'm using in the description and/or video chapter titles. For the larger piece here, I'm using cotton. However, I don't typically show the dimensions because you are free to use any size you want. The effect is the same no matter what size fabric you choose to dye 😊

[@gurmeetkaur4230]

Whether it used as hair dye?

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

I don't know how acorn dye would work on hair, but why not try?

[@gurmeetkaur4230]

Thank you

[@kirantewari2840]

What is ratio of acron n water for darker colour

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

In natural dyeing, the ratio is typically measured between the weight of the fiber (WOF) and the weight of the dry dye matter, in this case acorns. The volume of water does not really play a factor in the strength of the dye itself. You want to use enough water to make sure you can move the fiber around easily in the dye pot. If you want a stronger dye, you will want to use more acorns. You can start with a 1:1 ratio of fiber to acorns and increase the percentage of acorns to make a deeper color.

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

The other option is to dye it, dry it and then dye it again. To build up darker shades, dyeing multiple times for an over-dye effect is often used.

[@alyssamarescalco1431]

Just be careful when using iron water on the hair!! It’s too late for you since this was two years ago. You don’t want to use it on the hair in case later you want to bleach it. I’m not sure if acorns would react badly but metal and bleach don’t mix and could fry your hair

[@paolasignanini6763]

Ciao sono un italiana ho seguito tutti i tuoi video eho imparato molto ma non abbastanza perche' parlo solo italiano ti chiedo non e' possibile mettere sotto titoli ?tanti come me ne sarebbero felicissimi e potremmo imparare tante piu' cose che spieghi interessantissime. Ti ringrazio molto e tanti complimenti

[@MargaretByrdColorQuest]

Ciao Paola! Molte grazie per le tue gentili parole sul mio canale. Mi dispiace molto che tu non riesca a vedere i sottotitoli in italiano. Riesco a trovarli andando nell'icona delle mie impostazioni, attivando i sottotitoli e selezionando la traduzione automatica dove ho una scelta di lingue. Posso aggiungere i sottotitoli in italiano in questo modo a questo video. L'hai provato?