Dyes using plants as a dye source.

[sheena]

I am just learning to dye things using plants as a dye source - so far I have managed to get good results with bright yellow, pale yellow, black(well more of a charcoal really)cream and beige.
Can anyone help me out here please, I am trying to get a violet or purple but don't know what to use for the best any idea's?

[The Riff-Raff Element]

Natural purple was a bit of a holy grail for centuries. The Romans used an extarct from a sea molusc, which was rare and hence very expensive. Purple really had to wait from the industrial era before it became cheaply available as a chemical dye.

[starchild]

woad?

What about things like blackberry, grapes, beetroot or red cabbage; is there a way to fix these? I'm just trying to think of the things that dye my hands when I prepare them in the kitchen!

[Ovalina]

Have you tried red onion skin?

I know there are loads of books on the subject and its something I want to get proficient in as i want to dye my sheeps fleece, just need the time.

Keep us informed though.

[Ellendra]

There's a variety of sunflower with black seeds that were used as a purple dye by the Hopi. Or you could just dye it red and then blue.

[red]

you can use elderberry, but it will wash out.. or fade so no good for clothes.

Jenny Dean is my hero when it comes to dyeing with natural products. hereis a blog post of her's on purple

[Eigon]

I believe that the medieval Irish used to scrape a particular lichen off rocks to make purple - but I'm afraid I don't know which lichen it was.