Thank you for sharing your experience! The tops look lovely. I do hope you report back over the next year or so to let us know how it has changed in color over time. Also would be great for a later follow up video when you do it again with the tips you shared and how the results are different. Thanks again and I always enjoy your videos!
Yes, I definitely plan to do both of those things! I'm curious to see how these wash and wear. I've already started collecting more avocados, as well. 😉
Thanks! I do enjoy a little experimentation. I'm pretty happy with my choices, even if I'd do some things differently next time. It's all part of the process!
Thank you, it was cool to try it out. I've been wanting to try it for ages, myself. And I agree, the color on the double gauze tops is really beautiful.
I'm really glad you found it helpful! I've already started saving more skins and stones for my next avocado dye project. It'll be interesting to report back how my next attempt goes.
That's really nice to hear! Of course, I'm reluctant to give any tips when I'm still a beginner, but hopefully my takeaways can help others from having the same downfalls.
Love this idea. I have a white quilt cover that I want to dye to make a summer dress. So I might give this a go. I have thrown away so many avocado stones 🙈🤩
Thanks for sharing your process Theresa, it was interesting to see the final colours and how the different fabric took the dye. I hadn't appreciated just how long it needs to be keep on the heat to draw out the dye. The tips are really helpful too. I've got a bag of onion skins and alder cones I want to experiment with at some point this year.
I think every experiment is probably different. It's good to take the attitude of seeing how it goes and being open to different outcomes. Good luck on your experimentation!
That was fun. I like how you explained everything you did - both the good and the bad, and why you think it did or didn’t work. Usually, you don't get to see that on a TH-cam video about natural dying. I've been wanting to try dying with avocados or other natural items too, and started to save some avocado skins and pits, but didn't think of putting them in the freezer, so even though I had thoroughly cleaned and dried them, they molded and I had to throw them away. I think I have about 6 or so avocados in the fridge though and I can always get a few more, so now that I've watched you, I want to try again. This time they will go in the freezer though in case I don't get at them right away.
Yes, I think the freezer is the safest bet. I've read in various places that freezing them doesn't seem to effect the color you get, which is definitely positive. Sorry to hear about your lost avocados! I felt reluctant to share my tips when I know that I'm only guessing the full cause of my issues. It still felt helpful to share what I do differently, to hopefully stop other people from making the same mistakes.
It really was good fun! I've already started collecting new avocado skins and stones for next time. It was a lot, so I don't want to do it again too soon. It will take me a while to collect a surplus of avocados though, so I think it will work out.
Interesting video Teresa. I do tea staining for doll and doll clothes making, and buy dye for ready to wear garments. Regarding the blotchy garment, was it wet all over before it went in. If any parts dry out before dying, it wont dye evenly. It was fun watching your avocado dying. I like the results.
Hmm, you know that's a really good question. All of the fabric had been washed and rinsed, waiting for the dying. I wonder if the process of prepping my dye bath was long enough to allow the fabric to slightly dry. I will be sure to give fabrics a good resoak before dying in the future. It's good to learn some lessons!
Pantone's color of the year for 2024 is Peach Fuzz. If you didn't nail it, you're pretty close. The only natural dying I've done is using tea, but I love the colors of your finished garments. It's a good thing you can freeze the avocado's because while I love them, I don't love them that much. I think you did exceptionally well for your first time.
Thank you so much! I certainly wasn't expecting perfection, but I'm happy to have some wearable clothes. And who knew, peach fuzz? Accidentally on trend. Love it! 😉
Supposedly, one of the benefits of using a mordant is that it makes the fabrics more color fast and light fast. I personally wash all of my me-mades in the washing machine on a gentle cycle and hang them to dry in the house. I will be sure to report back about how these wash over time.
The cotton labels are cute, but I HATE labels and cut them out of everything. I was at a formal affair at thanksgiving and one dress had a label sticking out of the low back. A swimmer at the pool had the label sticking out of her bikini bottom. Also they irritate the heck out of my skin, both at the neck, the back waist, and side seams.
I have to say, I am the same with most labels. I've come to the conclusion that many of the sewing labels I've got will only be able to be used in bags, the outside of garments, or somewhere else that won't directly touch my skin. These cotton labels though, are soft and not scratchy at all. They're the only ones that I want inside my tops from now on! I understand though, that they're not for everyone!
That's a sweet idea! Unfortunately, I'm really not in a place for embroidering with my hand and wrist injury. I also want to see how the blotchiness fades over time, so I think I'm just going to wear it at home and see what happens.
I absolutely feel you! I thought the same of some other dyes. It really worked out for me that I both really like avocados and like the color that you get from the dye!
Loved watching this, I want to try avocado dying now! Have done dylon pods before and love the seeing the unexpected results! It's a beautiful colour that you achieved and really suits you, not bad for your first attempt
Some really useful tips. I have a bag of red and brown onion skins in the freezer waiting to be used for dying. Something for this Summer I think. I especially liked the Peppermint wrap top - I have a burnt orange double gauze waiting to be made into another of those. I loved that you dyed the labels too. Nice touch.
So cool! I do want to look into dying with onion skins at some stage, too. I hope yours work out well! Double gauze is a great choice for that wrap top. I'm looking forward to wearing this one in the spring!
Look at you smashing through that 24 for 2024 list already! This was so fun to watch. They all turned out well, especially the double gauze tops - so pretty! It'll be interesting to see how they look with time and wear; please report back in due course. How's the masala chai/chai latte coming along...?
Oh no, I didn't carry this goal over from last year. I was honestly hoping to get this done at the end of last year, so I didn't put it on the list. Still smashing through my 23 for 2023. 😉 I love this color on the double gauze. Supposedly, using the mordant means that they will be more colorfast. I will definitely report back! So far, I've been working through some instant chai's that I've gotten for Christmas. I'll probably start playing around with spices in February. I've decided to give updates of my 24 for 2024 on my monthly makes videos, so I will share any progress then!
the only thing about leaving it overnight is that you're more likely to get uneven dyeing because you're going several hours without moving the fabric. i would consider leaving it in the dyebath longer but during waking hours so you can move it around if the splotchiness really bothers you. also be sure to store your garments out of direct light because naturally dyed pieces are usually not very lightfast.
Thanks, Sara! That is a really good point. It could be interesting to dye a couple of things and leave one for longer in the daytime and one overnight as a test (with plenty of space around it in the dye bath). I'm all about getting scientific about it. 😉 I don't dry my clothes outside and don't hang them outside of my wardrobe, so that shouldn't be an issue. Also, supposedly the mordanting process helps to make them more lightfast. We will see over time!
Thanks, Barbara! There is a reason why I've been putting this project off... It was cool to see the process do its magic. I am excited to try it again, but not for a little while. 😉 And I agree, the color is really beautiful and natural. It's great how it worked out!
Great video! I think your tops look lovely on you. On the gable top, maybe you could do your ice tie dye process over it so you can wear it. It's a beautiful top.
Thanks, Melanie! I'm kind of curious to see what happens over time if I leave it. Honestly, I was thinking that I needed to make some more PJ tops. All of my long sleeved ones are 15+ years old and half of them have holes. I've been telling myself that I need to upgrade my winter PJ wardrobe, so this is actually a very helpful addition.
Oh well done! Thanks for this, I was looking at the stones and skins I have in the freezer yesterday ! I have soda ash but was going to use soy milk as mordant. I wonder whether drying the garments in the sunshine will hasten the fade ?
It's all good fun to play! Supposedly using a mordant is supposed to make the fabrics more lightfast, but I do think it would be wise to avoid drying them in direct sunlight. I would also be cautious about soy milk, as I've read that it's not technically a mordant. It might not be as effective at making them color fast. Do your research though, because of course different sites all say different things!
Natural dying is so involved and I think your projects turned out great for experimenting with the process for the first time! The color looks lovely on you. I'd like to give it a go at some point, but I have to start stashing avocado ha! Appreciate all of your tips and learned lessons.
Well, there's no rush with the avocados, knowing that you can freeze them. I've already started to restock mine for my second attempt. I agree, for a first attempt, it went pretty well. I look forward to trying again in the future!
Hi Theresa, what a fun project! I sure hope you started at the crack of dawn on the day you dyed. (Sounds a bit morbid 😝). I didn’t realize it would take that many hours to get the color extracted from the skins & stones. I haven’t tried using natural dyestuffs yet and am not sure the colors would suit me but I love the idea of it. I have many black walnut trees & nuts, I’ll have to see what colors those produce. So many options! Thank you for sharing your experience can’t wait to hear more. Oh, if you really get ambitious, you can use the natural dyes for yarn as well to use in your knitting projects. I have a friend who also used Koolaid to dye yarn for knitting. Also a “safe” alternative for dying. Good luck!
Thank you! I don't feel like it's supposed to take quite so long, but of course each dye attempt is unique. I also think it would be quicker with more avocados. It wasn't too bad because I brought some crafty things to work on while it was doing its magic. I am looking forward to more experiments with natural dye in my future!
Thank you! It's not a good experiment if you don't also learn some lessons along the way. I bought both of these fabrics online, and I probably wouldn't have bought the rib knit if I'd seen the color in person. It was still fun to confirm my suspicions.
Aww this is exciting! I love your results. Will you be trying onion skins ... apparently they yield beautiful results too? What other natural dyes will you try?
Oh boy, I want to try it all! I got a book about natural dying for Christmas, so I definitely have plans for more experiments. I haven't planned anything else specifically yet, though. I do want to try the avocados again with some lessons learned. I'm looking forward to all the fun!
![[TH] FS vs BME - VCT Ascension Pacific - Lower Bracket Final](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/wnygqsR2Fig/mqdefault.jpg)
Thank you for sharing your experience! The tops look lovely. I do hope you report back over the next year or so to let us know how it has changed in color over time. Also would be great for a later follow up video when you do it again with the tips you shared and how the results are different. Thanks again and I always enjoy your videos!
Yes, I definitely plan to do both of those things! I'm curious to see how these wash and wear. I've already started collecting more avocados, as well. 😉
Hi Theresa, it has been many years since I used dyes. I think you did well. The patterns you used and the gauze fabrics were lovely ❤
Thanks! I do enjoy a little experimentation. I'm pretty happy with my choices, even if I'd do some things differently next time. It's all part of the process!
Very interesting and inspirational. I have thought if trying natural dye but not done it yet. Love the double gauze tops in particular.
Thank you, it was cool to try it out. I've been wanting to try it for ages, myself. And I agree, the color on the double gauze tops is really beautiful.
Thanks for the tips at the end! Good details of your process.
I'm really glad you found it helpful! I've already started saving more skins and stones for my next avocado dye project. It'll be interesting to report back how my next attempt goes.
Loved this breakdown, and your top 5 at the end , was really helpful. Well done on your first try at dying . Love it ❤❤
That's really nice to hear! Of course, I'm reluctant to give any tips when I'm still a beginner, but hopefully my takeaways can help others from having the same downfalls.
Love this idea. I have a white quilt cover that I want to dye to make a summer dress. So I might give this a go. I have thrown away so many avocado stones 🙈🤩
Oh, absolutely! What if you got to lose? It would be fun to see how it goes if you give it a try.
Thanks for sharing your process Theresa, it was interesting to see the final colours and how the different fabric took the dye. I hadn't appreciated just how long it needs to be keep on the heat to draw out the dye. The tips are really helpful too. I've got a bag of onion skins and alder cones I want to experiment with at some point this year.
I think every experiment is probably different. It's good to take the attitude of seeing how it goes and being open to different outcomes. Good luck on your experimentation!
Really interesting, natural dying is definitely something I want to try out
Thanks, I do want to play around with more natural dying, as well!
That was fun. I like how you explained everything you did - both the good and the bad, and why you think it did or didn’t work. Usually, you don't get to see that on a TH-cam video about natural dying. I've been wanting to try dying with avocados or other natural items too, and started to save some avocado skins and pits, but didn't think of putting them in the freezer, so even though I had thoroughly cleaned and dried them, they molded and I had to throw them away. I think I have about 6 or so avocados in the fridge though and I can always get a few more, so now that I've watched you, I want to try again. This time they will go in the freezer though in case I don't get at them right away.
Yes, I think the freezer is the safest bet. I've read in various places that freezing them doesn't seem to effect the color you get, which is definitely positive. Sorry to hear about your lost avocados!
I felt reluctant to share my tips when I know that I'm only guessing the full cause of my issues. It still felt helpful to share what I do differently, to hopefully stop other people from making the same mistakes.
So fun! What a great experiement. It's something I've been thinking about for ages - maybe I'll actually give it go this year!
It really was good fun! I've already started collecting new avocado skins and stones for next time. It was a lot, so I don't want to do it again too soon. It will take me a while to collect a surplus of avocados though, so I think it will work out.
Interesting video Teresa. I do tea staining for doll and doll clothes making, and buy dye for ready to wear garments. Regarding the blotchy garment, was it wet all over before it went in. If any parts dry out before dying, it wont dye evenly. It was fun watching your avocado dying. I like the results.
Hmm, you know that's a really good question. All of the fabric had been washed and rinsed, waiting for the dying. I wonder if the process of prepping my dye bath was long enough to allow the fabric to slightly dry. I will be sure to give fabrics a good resoak before dying in the future. It's good to learn some lessons!
Pantone's color of the year for 2024 is Peach Fuzz. If you didn't nail it, you're pretty close. The only natural dying I've done is using tea, but I love the colors of your finished garments. It's a good thing you can freeze the avocado's because while I love them, I don't love them that much. I think you did exceptionally well for your first time.
Thank you so much! I certainly wasn't expecting perfection, but I'm happy to have some wearable clothes. And who knew, peach fuzz? Accidentally on trend. Love it! 😉
Really interesting to see the process and definitely tempted to give it a go. How do the garments wash now? Do you need to hand wash them?
Supposedly, one of the benefits of using a mordant is that it makes the fabrics more color fast and light fast. I personally wash all of my me-mades in the washing machine on a gentle cycle and hang them to dry in the house. I will be sure to report back about how these wash over time.
You could knock the baking soda back by adding a little vinegar
True, but it wasn't really obvious to me what the color would be like until I'd rinsed everything out. I am happy with it now, though!
The cotton labels are cute, but I HATE labels and cut them out of everything. I was at a formal affair at thanksgiving and one dress had a label sticking out of the low back. A swimmer at the pool had the label sticking out of her bikini bottom. Also they irritate the heck out of my skin, both at the neck, the back waist, and side seams.
I have to say, I am the same with most labels. I've come to the conclusion that many of the sewing labels I've got will only be able to be used in bags, the outside of garments, or somewhere else that won't directly touch my skin. These cotton labels though, are soft and not scratchy at all. They're the only ones that I want inside my tops from now on! I understand though, that they're not for everyone!
Maybe some embroidery would be nice to hide or accentuate the blotchiness.
That's a sweet idea! Unfortunately, I'm really not in a place for embroidering with my hand and wrist injury. I also want to see how the blotchiness fades over time, so I think I'm just going to wear it at home and see what happens.
They are beautiful colors, but they just look awful on me.
I absolutely feel you! I thought the same of some other dyes. It really worked out for me that I both really like avocados and like the color that you get from the dye!
Loved watching this, I want to try avocado dying now! Have done dylon pods before and love the seeing the unexpected results! It's a beautiful colour that you achieved and really suits you, not bad for your first attempt
Thanks, I wasn't expecting perfection, but I am happy with my results. I agree, any dying is a bit of a gamble and all the more fun for it!
Some really useful tips. I have a bag of red and brown onion skins in the freezer waiting to be used for dying. Something for this Summer I think. I especially liked the Peppermint wrap top - I have a burnt orange double gauze waiting to be made into another of those. I loved that you dyed the labels too. Nice touch.
So cool! I do want to look into dying with onion skins at some stage, too. I hope yours work out well! Double gauze is a great choice for that wrap top. I'm looking forward to wearing this one in the spring!
Look at you smashing through that 24 for 2024 list already!
This was so fun to watch. They all turned out well, especially the double gauze tops - so pretty! It'll be interesting to see how they look with time and wear; please report back in due course.
How's the masala chai/chai latte coming along...?
Oh no, I didn't carry this goal over from last year. I was honestly hoping to get this done at the end of last year, so I didn't put it on the list. Still smashing through my 23 for 2023. 😉
I love this color on the double gauze. Supposedly, using the mordant means that they will be more colorfast. I will definitely report back!
So far, I've been working through some instant chai's that I've gotten for Christmas. I'll probably start playing around with spices in February. I've decided to give updates of my 24 for 2024 on my monthly makes videos, so I will share any progress then!
Oh, great idea to do monthly updates! Looking forward to those.
the only thing about leaving it overnight is that you're more likely to get uneven dyeing because you're going several hours without moving the fabric. i would consider leaving it in the dyebath longer but during waking hours so you can move it around if the splotchiness really bothers you. also be sure to store your garments out of direct light because naturally dyed pieces are usually not very lightfast.
Thanks, Sara! That is a really good point. It could be interesting to dye a couple of things and leave one for longer in the daytime and one overnight as a test (with plenty of space around it in the dye bath). I'm all about getting scientific about it. 😉
I don't dry my clothes outside and don't hang them outside of my wardrobe, so that shouldn't be an issue. Also, supposedly the mordanting process helps to make them more lightfast. We will see over time!
The color is very natural and pretty. You are lucky you look good in the muted tones. But wow! What a lot of work!
Thanks, Barbara! There is a reason why I've been putting this project off... It was cool to see the process do its magic. I am excited to try it again, but not for a little while. 😉 And I agree, the color is really beautiful and natural. It's great how it worked out!
Great video! I think your tops look lovely on you. On the gable top, maybe you could do your ice tie dye process over it so you can wear it. It's a beautiful top.
Thanks, Melanie! I'm kind of curious to see what happens over time if I leave it. Honestly, I was thinking that I needed to make some more PJ tops. All of my long sleeved ones are 15+ years old and half of them have holes. I've been telling myself that I need to upgrade my winter PJ wardrobe, so this is actually a very helpful addition.
Oh well done! Thanks for this, I was looking at the stones and skins I have in the freezer yesterday ! I have soda ash but was going to use soy milk as mordant. I wonder whether drying the garments in the sunshine will hasten the fade ?
It's all good fun to play! Supposedly using a mordant is supposed to make the fabrics more lightfast, but I do think it would be wise to avoid drying them in direct sunlight. I would also be cautious about soy milk, as I've read that it's not technically a mordant. It might not be as effective at making them color fast. Do your research though, because of course different sites all say different things!
Natural dying is so involved and I think your projects turned out great for experimenting with the process for the first time! The color looks lovely on you. I'd like to give it a go at some point, but I have to start stashing avocado ha! Appreciate all of your tips and learned lessons.
Well, there's no rush with the avocados, knowing that you can freeze them. I've already started to restock mine for my second attempt. I agree, for a first attempt, it went pretty well. I look forward to trying again in the future!
Hi Theresa, what a fun project! I sure hope you started at the crack of dawn on the day you dyed. (Sounds a bit morbid 😝). I didn’t realize it would take that many hours to get the color extracted from the skins & stones. I haven’t tried using natural dyestuffs yet and am not sure the colors would suit me but I love the idea of it. I have many black walnut trees & nuts, I’ll have to see what colors those produce. So many options! Thank you for sharing your experience can’t wait to hear more. Oh, if you really get ambitious, you can use the natural dyes for yarn as well to use in your knitting projects. I have a friend who also used Koolaid to dye yarn for knitting. Also a “safe” alternative for dying. Good luck!
Thank you! I don't feel like it's supposed to take quite so long, but of course each dye attempt is unique. I also think it would be quicker with more avocados. It wasn't too bad because I brought some crafty things to work on while it was doing its magic. I am looking forward to more experiments with natural dye in my future!
I think the tops look great, I love a good experiment. I do think that the gauze tops are a better color than the rib knit. Well done
Thank you! It's not a good experiment if you don't also learn some lessons along the way. I bought both of these fabrics online, and I probably wouldn't have bought the rib knit if I'd seen the color in person. It was still fun to confirm my suspicions.
Would alum as a mordantto der the dye, have been possible,?
Absolutely! I just wanted for one that I had seen mentioned on different tutorials.
it would of been nice to see the actual process but nice colors
Thank you! What else would you have liked to see? I thought I showed footage of every stage of the process.
Aww this is exciting! I love your results. Will you be trying onion skins ... apparently they yield beautiful results too? What other natural dyes will you try?
Oh boy, I want to try it all! I got a book about natural dying for Christmas, so I definitely have plans for more experiments. I haven't planned anything else specifically yet, though. I do want to try the avocados again with some lessons learned. I'm looking forward to all the fun!
@@LostMyThread I’ll look forward to seeing the results of your experiments. Happy sewing🧵😊🧵