Any muslin would work if it's 100% cotton or just use a good solid cotton fabric, preferably white. Do not use the blends. If you use light colors like tan or beige or light yellow, that will affect the dye results.

Without going up into my attic and finding my ol' college class notes, I think if anyone wanted to use natural dyes, you'd need a book from the library for reference.

You just can't take berries and dye cotton. It might stain for awhile, but not "dye". There is a difference. Then there are mordants that can be used to affect the way the material accepts the dye-stuff and makes it more permanent. But, while vegetable dying is natural and "green", it is not without future problems like fading in sunlight, etc.

It was a wonderful and fun course I took at Kent State in the late 1970's, called Weaving I (101) but called for much organization and (some) expensive dyes and large kettles for equipment, etc.... Take a class or at least find a good book on it. Good luck.

I wonder what these women would think of our shop hops and fabric staches :D

My Grandmother used EVERYTHING until it was gone. I,to the dismay of my children, tend to do the same. I am 52 years old, and while we weren't poor in the true sense of the word, lived frugally ..... ie growing our own food, canning and freezing, wearing homemade clothes. To this day, I recycle everything, old furniture can be refinished, clothes can be remade, garden veggies are canned and frozen.I never considered it living "green', it's just the way I chose to live. My children, on the otherhand, seem wasteful to me.

Did the onion skin thing for a project for my DGD a while back. the first batch was so nasty we threw it out. The 2nd batch, we put the onion skins in clean panty hose; still a little messy and we got a pretty color. We were afraid to boil too long and melt the panty hose. We needn't have worried; they didn't seem to be affected by the temperature of the water.

As an art teacher, I became the Queen of Tie Dye! I even had a washing machine in my art classroom! Girl of the '70's. I had the kids experiment w natural dyes and used Procion for their tee shirts. Now that I am retired I have been dying old cotton sheets for backing. I make wall pieces and machine quilt, so this works.

Those who want to do onion skins for 100% cotton fabric, here is a simple method:
1. Collect the skins.
2. Place into a large glass jar/container (mayonaisse) with water to cover them; cover.
3. Let it sit 24-48 hours (but not longer or it ferments - Pewwwww!!!) The resulting colored liquid is called the "liquor".
4. In a large kettle/pot boil several quarts of water.
5. Strain the "liquor" into the water. Stir with a wooden stick.
6. Wet the fabric with clear water; and fold gently so it will fit the large kettle/pot
7. Place the fabric into the boiling water and gently stir with a wooden stick.
8. Turn off the heat and stir occasionally to make sure the fabric is thoroughly saturated with the color-dye.
9. When cooled, carefully remove the fabric and hang it to dry or lay it out flat "out of the sun"!
10. When dry, use as needed.

There is no mordant, in this recipe, to change or brighten the natural dye. Refer to a book or the internet for choices.
This simple method can be done with a number of different natural materials for the dye.
You can also try 100% natural wool yarn, for spinning/hand crafts, etc. or 100% silk if you can afford it. Those are also natural fibers that will take the liquor (dye) well.
Good luck.

cpfrog (retired art educator)

Hi fellow retired art educator!
Did you study at Ohio State? I have good friends there. One quilter.
Dotty/NYC

Thanks for the info. I'd like to try this for my granddaughter's science project!

No, not "THE" OSU... but Kent State Univ.
I took up quilting many years later and only now am getting into the "art quilt" mode.

(I was born and raised on LI... small world.)

Yes, I taught in Mineola. If you ever get to the City...