.rabbitbrush dye.

 I've wanted to make a natural dye with rabbitbrush for the past few years. I took an online course from Aaron Sanders Head last summer and learned a lot about the natural dye process, but I hadn't explored beyond indigo and turmeric. I went kayaking in Grant County and noticed a ton of rabbitbrush, so collected blooms and knew it was the time to finally try it! I can't believe the results! 

Rubber Rabbitbrush is a native plant in the Shrub-Steppe that blooms in the early fall. I love it for its vibrant yellow blooms. You can tell time by the plants of the Shrub-Steppe. I know fall is here when the yellow blooms of rabbitbrush appear. I had heard they produce a natural dye, but there wasn't much information online. I found a digital pdf that mentioned it was a common plant to use for dye with indigenous groups living in shrub-steppe landscapes. I found one post about rabbitbrush dyeing, but it didn't have much information. The sparse information gave me enough curiosity to try it. 

I used two yards of cotton fabric. I didn't have soda ash, so I opted for a hot second wash in the washer. All sources highly recommended scouring the fabric. I then used aluminum acetate to mordant. I finished the process with a chalk bath. While the fabric was soaking, I started to simmer the rabbitbrush blooms in another pot. Most sources recommend boiling for an hour. I think I was a little over an hour. Then I introduced the mordant fabric and left it in the hot water. I immediately saw the color. After an hour, it was already a decent shade of yellow, but knowing it would fade, I left it overnight and am so happy with the final color. 

The first picture is the dye after an hour. The second, after an overnight soak. With the final color below! I was honestly shocked to see such vibrant color come from the blooms. Plants are amazing!