Nice 'N Natural

Make a gorgeous summery picnic cloth and matching napkins using natural dye. Marsha Smith shows how turmeric powder creates this cheerful yellow hue.

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WHAT YOU NEED

100% cotton fabric or similar (enough for a picnic-size cloth and 6 napkins)

Scissors

Sewing machine and white thread

Drop cloth

Rubber gloves

Large pot

Ground turmeric

Twine

Large mixing spoon

Metal tongs

Old tub or bucket to place dyeditems into

Natural fibres such as cotton, linen or unbleached muslin take dye much better than synthetics do. You may need to modify the dyeing times to suit your chosen fabric and/or how much you are dyeing. It might be a good idea to experiment with some scrap fabric before starting. This project is definitely about the individuality of each piece. The end result will be something that is uniquely yours.

1 Cut your fabric to the desired size. To neaten edges, fold over fabric on all sides and sew in place. (Alternatively, if you don’t have a sewing machine you could buy a pre-made white cotton tablecloth and/or napkins.)