What You Need
A pot you don't care about (yours will get stained)
Black walnut hulls (find them on the ground in fall, or buy dried ones online)
Fabric or clothes that are 100% cotton, linen, or wool
Water
That's it. No mordant needed for walnuts. That's why I started here.
What I Messed Up So You Don't Have To
The first time I tried this, I used a pot I actually liked. Big mistake. The inside turned brown and stayed brown. I scrubbed for an hour. Nothing.
The second time, I used too many hulls. The water looked like coffee. The fabric came out almost black. Not the warm brown I wanted.
The third time, I didn't wear gloves. My hands looked like I'd been digging in dirt for a week. Took three days to fade.
Wear gloves. Use a junk pot. Start with fewer hulls than you think.
How I Finally Got It Right
Step one: Find your walnuts
I collected hulls from under a tree in Prospect Park last October. They were already falling apart. Dark brown, almost black, smelling like earth. I filled a grocery bag.
You can buy dried hulls online too. A bag costs around $10 and lasts for months.
Step two: Make the dye bath
I put about two cups of hulls into my junk pot. Covered them with water. Brought it to a boil, then turned the heat down.
Let it simmer for an hour. The water turned deep brown. The kitchen smelled like a forest floor. Not bad. Just different.
Step three: Strain and soak
I poured everything through an old mesh strainer into another pot. Threw away the solid bits.
Put in a white cotton napkin I never use. Let it sit for two hours.
Pulled it out. The color was too light. Put it back in overnight.
Step four: The reveal
The next morning, the napkin was the color of a paper bag. Warm brown, even all over. No splotches.
I rinsed it in cold water until the water ran clear. Let it dry on the counter.
Hemingway walked across it while it was wet. Left little paw prints. Now the napkin has tiny toe beans forever. I actually like it.
Try this with something small. An old t-shirt. A kitchen towel you don't care about. See what color you get. Put a picture in the comments. I want to see your brown.
