How to Dye Fabric with Blackberries (Natural Purple Dye)

Materials & tools you'll need

Step 1 — Simmer the blackberries

Put about a cup of blackberries into a big pot and add a good amount of water. Bring it up to a boil, then turn it down to a simmer and let it cook for about an hour, until all of the pigment has come out of the berries and the liquid works as a dye. You can use half a cup of blackberries and half a cup of blueberries if you want a slightly bluer, grayer purple. Blueberries still give a purple, just a different one.

Step 2 — Strain out the berries

Set a strainer over a bowl and pour the mixture through. This catches the large, messy pieces but won't get every last bit out, and that's fine, because the rinse in Step 4 takes care of the rest. What's in the bowl is your blackberry dye.

Step 3 — Pre-soak and soak your fabric

Pre-soak whatever you're dyeing in water first, even something large like a t-shirt. It helps the fabric hold on to the dye. Put the wet pieces in a glass container or another big container, then pour the blackberry dye over them. Leave it on the counter until the dye has cooled all the way down, which takes about four hours, and plan for four to five hours so the fabric can take up as much pigment as it can. In the video the pieces sat for more than 12 hours overnight, which worked well and gave a very deep colour. The batch included unbleached cotton muslin, a bleached white cotton trim, and white cotton yarn.

Step 4 — Squeeze and rinse well

Put on gloves so the dye doesn't stain your skin. Fill a big bowl, sink or tub with cold water and add about a teaspoon of sensitive, unscented, dye-free laundry detergent. Squeeze each piece to get the extra liquid out, then rinse it thoroughly in the cold water and detergent. Be aggressive about it. You want to get out the excess pigment as well as any little bits of blackberry that made it through the strainer. Berry bits are plant matter, so if they're left in they can lead to mould, rot, insects, or dye bleeding onto your skin. Once the piece is mostly or completely free of extra pigment, squeeze out the water.

Step 5 — Dry, then wash cold

Lay the piece out flat on a dry towel and leave it for several hours. This locks in the pigment that's meant to stay. Once it is completely dry, wash it in the washing machine on cold with a little detergent to make sure everything that shouldn't be in there is out. This is what stops it bleeding onto your skin or onto other clothes.

What to expect from blackberry dye

Even though the pieces all started out white or close to it, they didn't turn the same colour. The bleached white cotton tape went almost eggplant, a deep berry purple. The cotton fabrics picked up a lot of purple too, and the unbleached muslin gave a good colour payoff. The bleached white cotton yarn came out more of a grayish, mauve purple. If you're dyeing a blend, such as cotton mixed with wool, each fibre may take the colour differently, so expect some variation. It also doesn't hold well on plastic-based fibres, so stick to natural ones like cotton, linen, wool and rayon. Linen would be a lovely choice for a breezy pair of pants.

The dyed cotton in the video was washed twice, ironed, and put through the dryer and stayed purple. The first time you wash it, though, put it in with light colours or with other dark purples so a bit of bleeding doesn't matter, and do the same in the dryer. Don't dry it with whites. This is also a fun project to try with kids, grandkids or a class, spread over a couple of days.

Frequently asked questions

What materials do I need to dye fabric with blackberries?
You will need about a cup of blackberries, a big pot, a strainer and bowl, a big container (glass works well) to hold the dye and fabric, gloves, a big bowl of cold water or a sink, about a teaspoon of sensitive, unscented, dye-free laundry detergent, a dry towel, and something to dye made from a natural fibre.

What kinds of fabric work with blackberry dye?
Natural fibres such as cotton, linen, wool and rayon work best. The dye doesn't hold well on plastic-based fibres. Blended fabrics, such as a cotton and wool mix, may take the colour differently on each fibre.

How long should I soak fabric in blackberry dye?
Leave the fabric in the dye for at least four to five hours, until the dye has cooled right down. In the video the pieces sat for more than 12 hours overnight, which worked well and gave a deep colour.

Is blackberry dye colourfast?
In the video the dyed cotton was washed twice, ironed and put through the dryer, and it stayed purple. There may still be a little bleeding the first time, so wash and dry it with light colours or other dark purples at first, and keep it out of the dryer with whites.

Can I use blueberries instead of blackberries for natural dye?
Yes. Blueberries still give a purple, just a different one. Using half a cup of blackberries and half a cup of blueberries gives a bluer, grayer purple than blackberries alone.

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