Getting crafty: using veggies to dip dye curtains and paint wood furniture

Cabbage dip-dyed curtains

The natural world has a rainbow of plant-based pigments to offer: perfect for adding some colour and personality to a set of plain white curtains. This all-natural purple dye was created by simmering sliced red cabbage with a few spoons of salt in a big pot of water for roughly an hour. Feel free to experiment with other colourful fruits or vegetables, or even things like tea and turmeric. Once you’re done, turn off the heat, strain the liquid and return to the pot to cool down.

Different techniques to try out

A solid line from white to purple is simple and striking, but you can also go for a softer, more gradual fade. To do this, you’ll need to dip the fabric in stages: starting with a few centimetres at the bottom, and slowly adding in more fabric to create the dark-to-light transition.

Rinse, hang, dry... and repeat!

Once you’ve achieved the look you want, all that’s left to do is throw it in the wash (not with other clothes, of course) and hang it to dry. Just look at that colour! And to think you made it all on your own, with little more than the contents of your fridge. So, what should we dye next?
 

Painting wooden furniture with potatoes

One great thing about untreated wood is that it looks lovely as it is – and will do for years and years to come. Better yet, it’s also a great blank canvas for paints and stains if you want your pieces to look a bit more personal. Case in point? This little bench, transformed into something truly special with the help of a humble spud.

Solids, stripes... or shapes?

You could paint this bench in a completely new colour, or you could create your own geometric pattern, like these triangles. Start by taking a potato and cutting it in half with a knife, before carving out whatever shape you want (this bit is best left to grown-ups). Pro tip: use a paper template or cookie cutter as your guide to get the outline as close to perfect as possible.