Dyeing with Avocado Pits Tutorial
Sophia Levy’s Craft Ecology Project Proposal:
“For my Craft Ecology project, I would like to explore which herbal remedies may be supportive during the four stages of menstruation and represent my findings through an installation piece featuring naturally-dyed undergarments using those correlating herbs and plants as pigments. I envision my project as a display of 28 pairs of hung underwear on laundry lines to visually represent the 28 day average cycle of menstruation. Based on my findings on which herbs and plants may be nourishing during menstruation, the follicular phase, ovulation, and the luteal phase, I will move onto a second chapter of my research by experimenting with using those plants and herbs in dye baths.”
Sophia Levy’s Craft Ecology Midterm:
For my midterm, I have decided to curate a tutorial below to showcase my first experience in using plants to alter the pigment of cotton fiber. To accomplish my final project, I will be using this method as a resource to produce my naturally-dyed undergarment installation. To remain consistent with the menstruation theme of my project, I decided to use the nutrient dense fruit, avocados, as my dye material. Avocados can help relieve menstrual cramps and offer a boost of energy (Day, 2017). Avocados contain potassium, magnesium, anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats and are a great source of fiber. All of these nutrients are extremely supportive in regulating hormonal balance, especially during the menses cycle.
Dyeing Cotton with Avocado Pits Tutorial
Materials Used:
8 fresh and clean avocado pits
1 tsp alum
1 100% cotton pillowcase
1 100% cotton underwear
1 cup of full moon infused water
Approximately 2 quarts of lukewarm tap water
8 quart pot
1 large stainless steel bowl
1 pair of tongs
Step 1:
Remove avocado pits from 8 avocados and clean the pits throughly. Clean and freeze the skins for a future dye project. Place the 8 avocado pits in a large pot and cover with tap water. I filled up my 8 quart pot with approximately 2 quarts of lukewarm tap water.
Cover the pot and bring to a simmer for two hours, being mindful not to bring the water to a rolling boil. Watch the pigment of the water change from clear to rose pink throughout the two hour time duration.
Step 2:
While the avocado pits are simmering, you will want to begin the process of mordanting your fiber. According to Botanical Colors, “using a mordant helps to ensure the most durable and long-lasting colors” (How to Mordant - Botanical Colors, 2022). For my project, I decided to use a 100% cotton pillow case and a 100% cotton pair of underwear. Ideally, you will want to use a kitchen scale to weigh your materials in order to accurately use 15% of alum based off of the weight of materials used. Since I do not own a scale, I approximated that my materials weigh 1.2 ounces collectively. I placed my materials in a large, stainless steel bowl and calculated that I will need to use 1 tsp of alum. I sprinkled the tsp of alum over the materials and covered the materials with tap water. I then proceeded to use my hands to dissolve the alum into the water. Next time, I will dissolve the alum into the water before placing my fabric in the bowl. For future projects, I will also be sure to use tongs in order to limit the amount of contact my skin has with alum. I then allowed my materials to soak in this mordant for around 2 hours.
Step 3:
Submerge your mordanted materials into the dye bath. Since two hours have passed, the hue of the simmering water should be a rose/red pigment. Use tongs to swirl the fabric around to ensure that the majority of the materials are fully submerged. Since the water level was rather low when I added in the fabric, I poured an additional cup or so of a lunar infusion into the pot. Since lunar cycles are symbolically tied to menstrual cycles, I decided to incorporate some water from an infusion I made during the Harvest Moon rising. In Rosemary Gladstar’s book, Herbal Healing for Women, she recounts that “lunar infusions are great for romance, dreaming, and awakening creative endeavors” (Gladstar, 1993). Deb Soule mentions in her book, A Woman’s Book of Herbs, that “our monthly cycles wax and wane like the moon’s phases” (Soule, 1998).
“Our monthly cycles wax and wane like the moon’s phases” - Deb Soule
Photo descriptions left to right: (lunar infusion from the Harvest Full Moon, dye bath after 30 minutes, dye bath after 2 hours)
Step 4:
Once the materials have simmered on the stovetop in the dye bath for 3 hours and then set aside to soak for an additional 3 hours, the materials are ready to be removed. The photo to the left showcases what the materials looked like after the six hour soaking period. Once removing the underwear and pillowcase from the dye bath, I gently rung out the water from the articles. I then put the pieces in a cold cycle of washing and drying.
Step 5:
Admire the finished product! This final photograph shows the end result of fully dried, naturally-dyed cotton underwear.
Reflections:
For my next dye experiment, I hope to acquire a kitchen scale to more accurately measure out how much alum I should use to mordant my fabric. I also intend to experiment with mixing plant and herbs together into dye baths in hopes of producing entirely unique pigments. Overall, I am extremely excited about how well this project turned out and I am over the moon to dive more into this project!
Next steps…
In preparation for future dye projects, I am in the process of making more lunar infusions. Under the Hunter Full Moon of October 9th, I placed several jars outside to be infused by the vibrations of the moon. I sprinkled a variety of herbs into each jar that will be incorporated into my next dye baths. As pictured to the left, I placed oat-straw, lemon verbena, lavender, sage, stinging nettle, calendula, chamomile, and cranberries dispersed throughout the jars. I am so excited to see how these infusions influence my creative process in bringing this installation to life.
Works Cited
Botanical Colors. 2022. How to Mordant - Botanical Colors. [online] Available at: <https://botanicalcolors.com/how-to- mordant/> [Accessed 10 October 2022].
Day, A., 2017. Best 9 Foods That Can Help With Menstrual Cramps Recipes, News, Tips And How-Tos. [online] Food Network Canada. Available at: <https://www.foodnetwork.ca/article/foods-help-pms-menstrual-cramps/> [Accessed 10 October 2022].
Gladstar, R., 1993. Herbal Healing for Women. New York: Simon & Schuster, p.96.
Soule, D., 1998. A Woman's Book of Herbs. Toronto: Carol Publishing Group, p.47.