Name _________________________________
Date ___________________ Pd____________
Ethiopian Inspired Natural Dyeing Lab
Abstract: A huge part of Ethiopian culture is located in its weaving tradition. In order to
create different colored thread, natural dyes are made from various vegetable and fruit
extracts. Today, you and your group members will be working in the lab to create natural
dyes.
Materials:
Beaker
Hot Plate
Wool yarn
Drying rack
Plastic knife
Tongs
NaCl
Red cabbage, blackberries, raspberries, etc
Water
Paper towel
Procedure:
1. Bring water to a boil with ½ cup of NaCl
2. Place yarn into water
3. Cut up vegetables/fruit and place into separate beaker
4. Drain yarn and place in vegetable/fruit extract
5. Let soak until desired color
6. Rinse in room temperature water
7. Let hang to dry
Questions:
1. What is the mordant in this procedure? What is it used for?
2. Describe the relationship between time and color intensity?
Created by: Meghan Chidsey- Teaching the Human Experience, Fulbright Hays Ethiopia 2009
3. Draw a graph to represent this relationship: Time (y axis), Color Intensity 1-10 (x axis)
Created by: Meghan Chidsey- Teaching the Human Experience, Fulbright Hays Ethiopia 2009
Name _________________________________
Date ___________________ Pd____________
Ethiopian Inspired Natural Dyeing Lab
Abstract: A huge part of Ethiopian culture is located in its weaving tradition. In order to
create different colored thread, natural dyes are made from various vegetable and fruit
extracts. Today, you and your group members will be working in the lab to create natural
dyes.
Materials:
Beaker
Hot Plate
Wool yarn
Paper towel
Stirring rod
Tongs
Kool Aid (several colored packs)
Drying rack
Strainer
Procedure:
1. Wash yarn lightly with mild soap and let strain in sink
2. Empty package of drink mix into beaker of water (1pkg of drink mix per 28.35 g yarn)
3. Stir with stirring rod until dissolved
4. Add yarn to beaker and place on hotplate
5. Heat to nearly boiling
6. Turn off and cover beaker
7. Leave beaker covered until water is clear (30 min)
8. Teacher will remove and hang to dry
Questions:
1. What is the mordant in this procedure? How do you know?
2. Describe the relationship between time and color intensity?
Created by: Meghan Chidsey- Teaching the Human Experience, Fulbright Hays Ethiopia 2009
3. Draw a graph to represent this relationship: Time (y axis), Color Intensity 1-10 (x axis)
Created by: Meghan Chidsey- Teaching the Human Experience, Fulbright Hays Ethiopia 2009
Name _________________________________
Date ___________________ Pd____________
Ethiopian Weaving Technique!
Weaving in Ethiopia has been a
tradition and source of livelihood, passed
down from generation to generation. The
skill involved in spinning cotton, spooling
thread, and ultimately weaving blankets,
scarves, and clothing on wooden looms is
the work of countless hours and skilled
hands.
Today, you will be creating a loom
and using your dyed yarn from
yesterday’s lab to create a woven creation.
Draw/design color scheme on back!
Pre-Making the Loom:
1. Cut a 12”x 7” piece of cardboard or mat-board
2. On the back draw a 1” border on all four edges
3. Mark every ¼ “ along the top and bottom
4. Cut down to the 1” mark
5. Make a knot 6” long in rope and hook behind first slit
6. Thread string, up and down loom, keeping the string only on the front
7. Tie extra on the back with the beginning of the string.
Weaving:
1. Tie end of colored yarn at top of loom’s upper right string
2. Thread yarn in plastic needle
3. Weave using over/under technique
4. Use fingers to compress each new row
5. Tip- do not pull too tightly or design will become “pinched”
Directions courtesy of Bunki Kramer, Los Cerros Middle School
Created by: Meghan Chidsey- Teaching the Human Experience, Fulbright Hays Ethiopia 2009