Red Cabbage Dye Samples after the Washing Machine

blue dyed fabric with red cabbage

I washed my fabrics and yarn, which I dyed with red cabbage, in the washing machine.

After a wash in the washing machine, the blue fabrics and yarn are much paler now.  They still have a pretty color, but are no longer so intensively blue. After a longer exposure to light and air, they didn’t become purplish-grey as my other dye samples. I’m curious if they’ll hold their color or if they’ll fade over time.

red cabbage dye sample

Update: In the comments, Rara asked how my red cabbage dye samples look now. So here’s an update. I hadn’t had time to make something with the fabric or yarn so it was just lying in the cupboard. The darker blue yarn is my black beans dye sample.

4 thoughts on “Red Cabbage Dye Samples after the Washing Machine

  1. Hi there! I’ve been reading your blog with interest, especially the natural dyeing. Do you have any images of this beautiful pale blue red cabbage dye of how it has fared over time?

    Kindest regards,

    Rara

  2. Hi there, natural dyer here. I can guarantee that cabbage fades way too quickly. Save your water, time and energy for other projects.

    1. Hi, no, my samples are still blue after all these years because I mordanted the fabric with iron liquor before dyeing it with red cabbage.

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