The dye garden will be used by students of sustainable fashion as plant dyeing is an eco-choice when it comes to dyeing textiles. I was keen to volunteer to learn more about this choice we have, I have fledgling but eager interests in textile sustainability issues. As I’m interested but haven’t extensive knowledge on the processes of plant dyeing I thought I’d go and mingle with some people who might.
“On Sunday, 26 February between 11am-3pm the unused lot next to LCF’s Mare Street site will be transformed into a dye garden which will be used for vegetable dying fabric to be featured in the final MA Fashion collections. The garden will also serve as an alternative place for students and gardeners to visit and relax, it will be a wonderful legacy for future UAL students to use and enjoy.” - CSF
We were really lucky as we had a beautiful sunny day for it. There were 40+ people that made it down to help with the renewal of the garden for some part of the day.
The main aim for the day was to make the plant beds and fill them with compost ready for the seeds to be sown. A good many hours later we had achieved more than what the organisers were expecting, this could of been down to the amazing turn-out of volunteers.
It was a really productive day and I had a lot of fun-learnt a fair bit about gardening know-how as well.
Here’s a link to a blog of the event found on The City Planter.
Here’s a blog found on Master Gardener.
I’m looking forward to visiting Mare Street to see how the plant patch and students are getting on.
DO-IT-YOURSELF-CULTURE
Here’s a mini list on what can be used as a natural dye:
Shades of red - madder, brazilwood, cochineal, ladies’ bedstraw, st john’s wort
Shades of orange - alder bark, bloodrot, sassafras leaves, onion skin, lichen, carrot roots, lilac twigs, turmeric, butternut seed husks
Shades of yellow - coreopsis and chamomile, rhubarb, weld, tansy, dock, eucalyptus, goldenrod, onion
Shades of blue - woad, indigo, Japanese indigo, logwood, alkanet
Shades of brown - oak bark, sumac leaves, dandelion roots, wild plum root, Walnut husks, juniper berries, fennel flowers and leaves, boiled acorns, hollyhock petals, yellow dock, beetroot, ivy twigs, goldenrod shoots
Shades of grey/black - iris roots, sumac leaves, oak galls, walnut hull, carob pod, sawthorn oak
Shades of green - artemisa, artichokes, tea tree flowers, spinach leaves, sorrel roots, foxglove flowers, snapdragon flowers, grass, plaintain roots, red onion skin, peach leaves, peppermint, chamomile leaves
