2 heads of red cabbage, a length of unbleached, natural cloth, 2 large stainless steel stock pots, measuring spoons, alum, a large plastic bucket, a mesh bag, and rubber gloves are the materials needed for this DIY.
Chop the cabbage into 1-inch chunks, and gather into your mesh bag.
Steps 1 and 2:
Place the cabbage in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, and then reduce and simmer for 20 to 40 minutes.
Step 3:
While the dye bath is on the stove, prep the fabric. First, wet it in cold water.
Step 4:
Prepare the mordant by mixing 1 teaspoon of alum per gallon of water.
Step 5:
Wearing rubber gloves, steep fabric in the mordant bath and simmer for 1 hour.
Step 6:
After the color has leached out of the cabbage, discard the leaves and keep the liquid dye.
Step 7:
After an hour, remove your fabric from the mordant bath and rinse it in cold water.
Step 8:
Submerge your rinsed fabric in the dye.
Step 9:
Note how the dye changed color as it cooled, changing from magenta to amethyst.
Wearing rubber gloves, place dyed fabric in a large bucket and rinse with cold water. The fabric will lighten quite a bit.
Step 10:
Hang the cloth to dry over any surface that won't be affected by the dye--and you're done!
Step 11: