Choose the material you have, the project you want to make and the size of your batch. The planner tells you how much you need, which product and pack size covers it, and gives you a step-by-step sheet to download or print. It covers Mimosa hostilis root bark and the dried herbs we stock, for craft and household projects.
Mimosa hostilis root bark projects
Every figure is a starting point taken from how natural dyers and soap makers already work. Bark is a natural material, so run a small test before a full batch.
How much bark for natural dye
Dyers measure bark against the dry weight of the fibre. The same weights apply to wool, silk, cotton and linen; what changes is the mordant.
| Strength | Bark per 100 g of fibre | Typical result |
|---|---|---|
| Light | 50 g | Soft pink to mauve |
| Medium | 75 g | Clear purple-brown |
| Deep | 100 g | Deep plum to brown |
Add alum at 10 to 15% of the fibre weight for wool and silk, and about 3 litres of water for every 100 g of fibre. A little iron, 1 to 2% of the fibre weight, shifts the colour towards grey and charcoal. For wood, paper and basketry, make a liquor with 50 to 100 g of bark per litre of water. For a quick figure on fabric alone, use the dye calculator.
How much bark for soap, infused oil and balm
| Project | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Cold-process soap | 1 to 2 teaspoons of powder per pound of oils (about 5 to 10 g per 500 g) |
| Melt-and-pour soap | Up to 1 teaspoon of powder per pound of base (about 5 g per 500 g) |
| Bark-infused oil | 1 part bark to 5 parts oil (20 g per 100 ml) |
| Balm or salve | About 1 part beeswax to 8 parts infused oil |
Powder goes straight into soap and releases colour fastest. Shredded bark is the easiest choice for dye baths and infusions because it strains out cleanly. Whole bark keeps longest; break it up and treat it like shredded bark.
Dried herb projects
These sheets use general craft ratios that work for any fully dried plant material. Spoon measures are exact; the weights shown beside them are estimates, because a tablespoon of fluffy leaf weighs far less than a tablespoon of powder.
| Project | Quantity | Herbs it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Scented drawer sachets | About 3 tablespoons per sachet | Mugwort, wormwood, catnip, Mexican tarragon, damiana |
| Stuffed cat toys | 1 to 2 tablespoons per toy | Catnip, valerian root |
| Bath tea bags | 3 to 4 tablespoons per bag | Mugwort, catnip, ginkgo leaf, yerba mate |
| Soap with botanical speckle | About 1 teaspoon, finely ground, per pound of oils or base | Leaf herbs and powders, including guarana, maca, ashwagandha and clavo huasca |
| Herb-infused oil for soap and balm bases | 1 part dried herb to 5 parts oil | Mugwort, catnip, Mexican tarragon, yerba mate, ginkgo, gotu kola, damiana |
| Natural dye bath | 100 to 200 g of dried plant per 100 g of fibre | Yerba mate, mugwort, wormwood, Mexican tarragon, ginkgo, catuaba bark, muira puama bark, kola nut |
Plant dyes from leaves and barks mostly give soft yellows, tans, greens and browns, and results differ from batch to batch. Dye a sample before you commit good fabric.
What the planner leaves out, and why
The sheets cover craft and household projects only. We do not publish amounts for eating, drinking or any medical use of these botanicals, and we leave out products that contain water, such as creams and lotions, because those need a preservative system and safety testing. Where no dependable quantity exists for a product, the planner says so instead of guessing.
Where these numbers come from
- Weight-of-fibre dyeing and alum rates: the Kraftkolour natural dye booklet.
- Quantities for dried leaves and barks in a dye pot: George Weil’s practical guide to natural dyeing.
- Colourant and botanical rates in soap: Bramble Berry’s natural colorant tests and the Lovin Soap additive chart.
- The 1 to 5 ratio for infusing dried plant material in oil: The Nerdy Farm Wife’s guide to infused oils.
- Beeswax-to-oil ratios for balms: Homestead and Chill’s salve guide.
- Cat toy filling: the Ontario SPCA cat toy sheet.
Common questions
How much root bark do I need to dye a T-shirt?
Weigh the shirt dry. A cotton T-shirt is often around 150 to 200 g, so a medium shade needs roughly 110 to 150 g of bark and a deep shade 150 to 200 g. A 500 g pack covers several shirts.
How much powder goes into a 1 kg batch of cold-process soap?
For 1 kg of oils, use about 10 g of root bark powder for a light colour and up to 20 g for a deep one. Mix it into a little oil first so it does not clump.
How much catnip goes in a cat toy?
One to two tablespoons per toy, with stuffing to fill the rest. A 500 g pack fills a very large number of toys, so store the remainder airtight to keep the scent.
How much dried herb do I need for drawer sachets?
About 3 tablespoons per small sachet. Six sachets need roughly 18 tablespoons, a little over one cup.
Can I dye fabric with yerba mate?
Yes. Dyers use dried yerba mate at around twice the weight of the fibre, and it tends to give green-yellow tones. Mordant the fibre first and test a sample.
Can I print the instructions?
Yes. Use the download button for a plain text sheet, or the print button to print it or save it as a PDF.