dyeing with dandelions

It all started because I was going to do a post about dyeing with dandelions. Then I saw a pattern for a felt dandelion on the internet and yesterday afternoon when Tom took the children out I decided to make one and feature it in this post:

It was fun to make but the dandelion was a giant one that looked like it had eaten too much fertilizer. When the children saw it they said "If you put that on the nature table it'll be bigger than Mother Earth". So I searched in my books:

and combined the patterns in both and came up with this one:

Bet you can't tell which is the real one!

It's still a bit big and I think I'll reduce the pattern even more to make a whole bunch of them. It seems fitting to have them on the nature table as I'm currently dyeing with them. Here they are - monster dandelion, real one and number two:

 

If you fancy making one let me know and I'll write out a pattern. I'm going to make some smaller ones as I said and this time I'll record my measurements.

Well, onto dyeing then. Two weeks ago I was combing the lanes for dandelions and in the past week our little orchard has been covered in them:

So now is a good time to have a go at natural dyeing as I'm sure you'll be able to easliy lay your hands on some. As with all flowers you need to pick the heads, cover them with water and bring to the boil. Simmer for an hour and then take out the mushy flowers. Either cool the liquid and add your mordanted fibre or if you're mordanting at the same time add the hot fibres. Either way bring to the boil and simmer for half an hour to an hour. You should get a nice pale yellow (pic below).

If you want to experiment a bit take out the fibre and add some iron water. I have some rusty nails soaking in water in the garden:

the dyepot will turn a murky sort of grey/green:

 

Put your fibres back in and simmer for about 15 minutes and you will get a very pretty, light sage green:

That's the plain old dandelion yellow on the left and various shades of the green on the right. They look much nicer than in this picture actually.

My fave greens are goldenrod/indigo and turmeric/indigo but it is nice to have a few of these dull greens in your stash too. When I made this nightlight ring I found that I used the dull greens much more:

Once again I would suggest you get a book out on dyeing and read a little bit more. Iron is used to 'sadden' colours and too much can make fibres brittle I believe. One last point. I left the flowers in the pot as I was dyeing blanket. If you plan to dye fleece or knitting wool I would suggest you strain the dyebath as you will go mad trying to pick bits out of the dyed fibres.

Well, it's STILL easter holidays and I'm off to visit my parents tomorrow - just overnight. This time we're going on the train as I have some train vouchers to use. Raj is very excited and I'm thinking two changes, three-and-a-half hours door to door (double what it takes in the car) but what the hell - we're on holiday. "Let the train take the strain" as those old adverts used to say. I certainly will .................

Comments

[Evelyn Lum]

Dear Simmy,

Your felt dandelion looks GREAT! I actually like the 'monester' one. They look extra brillant and should bring much more cheer. Good job, girl!

I have been looking for felts in various shades of green ... I want to make a felt golf course. Will you sell me some of yours?

[sue]

Hi, Simmy! Thanks for the dandelion post! I'm actually looking forward to having some dandelions around now! Now, if we could just get out of the 30's (temperature wise) and get some sunshine around here we'll be all set!

Happy (belated) Easter & Have a wonderful train holiday to your parents!

[Amanda]

I like your felt dandelion much better than the real ones in my yard! If you do get a chance, I'd like to see the pattern and make up a few myself!

[Pamela Pollock]

Dear Simmy,

My Mother who is soon to be 82 told me about your site. I am thinking that you may be around my age....or younger, I am 54. I love your site and all of your wealth of information. I have a yard full of dandelions and hope to someday do something with them. Make some wine, do some dyeing, etc. I made a salad this morning with the young leaves and blood oranges and cumin and lime dressing. It was quite yummy! I will try your curry recipe also. Best to you,

Pamela in Oregon, USA

[Peg in Indiana USA]

Enjoyed your article on dying with dandelions. I am hoping to start collecting the flowers soon (we had 2 inches of snow over this past weekend!). I do a good amount of solar dying, sort of like making sun-tea, and want to try dandelions in that. Really liked your felt flower dandelions and would love to have the pattern you are using. Thanks for an interesting web site. Peg =^,,^=

[Jodi Renshaw]

I would LOVE to see a pattern for these dandelions. I am one of the rare folks who absolutely loves them :)

Thank you!
~ Jodi

[ramona]

I have the "Making flower children" book, too :-) And for easter I made a dandelion for a friend's easter basket. I didn't use any pattern for it, but saw in a magazine how to make the flower head. the leaves I took out of nature and drew a pattern myself. But I guess it has been too large for my natural table, too. should update our seasonal table, too.

[Siri]

What a nice post, so inspiring.
Personally, I rather like the larger-than-life dandelion. We found our first two dandelions in town yesterday (it warms up quicker there than at our house), growing in an especially warm spot between a south facing wall and a concrete sidewalk. Now you've got me looking forward to enough of them to put in the dyepot. The murky greens are nice but I'd like to give indigo dyeing a try sometime soon for some clearer greens as well.
Please share how you made the felt ones as I've only just now gotten around to dismantling the Winter nature "shelf".

[Marie]

Beautiful dandelion Simmy! I did the curry and it was lovely by the way, probably due to the lovely garam masala you gifted me with. I was chopping onions the other day and thought of you and your dying and thinking about what a wonderful colour the onionskins would give to something. Hope you have a wonderful visit with your parents!

[Rowan]

I don't think anyone is likely to have a shortage of dandelions:) They are such lovely bright cheerful fowers and I love to see them growing in the wild - just not in my garden. If they were rarer people would pay a lot of money for those little plants which flower and flower non-stop all through the summer and have such pretty edible leaves.

[Simone]

Simmy, what did you use as a mordant for your blanket? I have some woollen blanket pieces I would like to dye as you did. I love the felt dandelion, the orchard etc and especially the comment about the monster dandelion being bigger than Mother Earth! Wonderful!

[kristin]

well, i certainly would love the dandelion pattern. you're so generous! thanks for sharing the dyeing info...very interesting and helpful should i ever bravely try this on my own.

[Briana]

I adore the dandelion. Its amazing how the colors came out identical, even in the way the light hits it on the outer edge of the petals vs. the middle. Very lovely.

[Dannielle]

Your dandelions are fabulous!

And I always am interested in reading about your natural dyeing adventures. :)