DIY: A Holiday Tablecloth Dyed with Red Cabbage - Remodelista
The last time I experimented with natural plant dye, I was in the fifth grade and away at nature camp. I’ve always wanted to try it again, and the need for a Thanksgiving tablecloth seemed like a good excuse. After doing a bit of research, I discovered that red cabbage is a good ingredient to achieve the color I was after–with caveats: Some dyers advise against red cabbage... ...especially for clothing, because it’s not very colorfast; others are fans. The project requires very few ingredients, most of which you probably already own. Steps 1 and 2: Chop the cabbage into one-inch chunks, and then gather the cabbage in a mesh bag–doing this makes for slightly easier cleanup, but the project works just as well with loose cabbage. Step 3: Place your cabbage in a pot and cover with water (the ratio of water to cabbage should be about 2 to 1). Note: Be careful not to let the water boil too long; high heat is said to “kill the dye” (translation: the color will be less potent). Step 4: While the dye bath is on the stove, prep your fabric. Step 5: Prepare your mordant, a compound that combines with dye and fixes the color in the material. Step 6: Wearing rubber gloves, steep fabric in the mordant bath and simmer for one hour. Step 7: After the color has leached out of the cabbage, discard the leaves and keep the liquid dye. Step 8: After an hour, remove the fabric from the mordant bath and rinse it in cold water. The longer you leave your fabric in the dye, the darker it will become. Note how the dye changed color as it cooled, morphing from magenta to amethyst. Step 9: Wearing rubber gloves, place dyed fabric in a large bucket (or stainless steel sink) and rinse with cold water. Step 10: Hang your tablecloth out to dry over any surface that won’t be affected by the dye. My new lavender-gray table cloth looks lovely, especially paired with warm wood and golden accents.