Threads 7: The Best Brown Dye

Many people who use commercial round reed prefer to dye the reed another colour, often brown. The very best brown dye you can possibly use is a walnut dye, made from the shells of walnuts. And now is the time to collect them!

Butternut and hickory nut shells can also be used but they are not so dark coloured. Sometimes it is a race to collect them before the squirrels and chipmunks start!

Firstly,  you need to remove the shells as soon as possible. I find the best way is to use a brick or hammer and crack them open, preferably on a cement floor. You may well dye the floor, so do not do it on your front doorstep! Also, wear plastic gloves otherwise you will have brown hands.

Soak the shells for at least a week or so,  then boil them up in a large dye pot and simmer for a few hours. Strain off the dye liquid. It will last for several weeks in a cool place or outside in a cover jar or dye pot.

Of course, this dye will work very well on any natural fibres, such as cotton or linen. It is very fast and will not wash out or fade in the sun. It also requires no mordant.

I have tried to keep the actual walnuts and use them in the kitchen, but I have always found them very bitter, and hard to crack open. Too bad.