The days are getting colder here in rural Vermont and we just harvested the last of our garden. One project I wanted to tackle this Fall was to dye fabric with goldenrod.
This is a picture of the front of our homestead that I took last month. As you can see, it was goldenrod galore!
‘‘Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.’’ -Theodore Roosevelt
I love this quote and how it describes how we strive to live our lives as homesteaders. In a world where social media is so prevalent, it is easy to start feeling like we have less than and we are less than. When I fall in the less than trap, I try to redirect my focus and my heart on abundance and gratitude.
One thing we have an abundance of on our homestead is goldenrod! I started researching the benefits and uses of this perennial plant and I would love to hear your suggestions in the comments box below.
I have always been fascinated with the process of dyeing clothes naturally using flowers, herbs, fruits, and vegetables. Last month, I went ahead and dyed some fabric for the first time using goldenrod. For this project, I snipped goldenrod flowers and added them to a pot. I filled the pot with water using a ratio of 1 part goldenrod flowers to 2 parts water.
I let the goldenrod and water simmer for about 1 hour. My son Marcialito wanted to join in and got his own little pot:)
To prep the 100% cotton fabric to receive the dye, I dissolved 2 tablespoons of alum in a pot filled with water. I submerged the fabric in the water and let it sit for 45 minutes.
I strained the goldenrod flowers from the first pot and was left with the most beautiful golden yellow dye. I rinsed the fabric in cold water and added the fabric to the dyebath and let it simmer for another hour. You can let the fabric sit longer until you obtain the desired shade.
Voilà!
This was such a fun project and I can’t wait to experiment with other colors. Did you ever attempt at dyeing fabric naturally? I would love to hear your tips and tricks.
With love and gratitude,
Marie-Hélène
