Dyeing Playsilks Using Summer Fruits

We dyed our own playsilk using raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, 

tomato, rhubarb and beetroot from our garden.

I was inspired by this book.
We looked at the flower that related to their first initial of their name
and I wanted to make them an elf/pixie cape of the corresponding colour.

There are boy illustrations in these books...which is great for boys to get in touch with flowers
positively without it being overtly girly.

Little Seed needed pink for Mallow...

So we set up an experiment:

I boiled the plain silk in hot water and vinegar.

We mashed up the foods and I strained them with a sieve.

Then we dipped corners and bits of the silk in different pots.

The tomato didn't work, I wouldn't bother.

The beetroot actually gave us orange!

The silk dried lighter than the image so in a few weeks we can have another go
when it fades to a very pale pink.
Any tips appreciated to achieve a darker effect!
x

Click here if you fancy winning a gorgeous snackbag


 Linking to:
beneath the rowan tree

Creative Friday at Natural Suburbia