East Multnomah County Dye Plants

I am very excited to share that I’ve been awarded a generous grant from the Regional Arts and Culture Council (RACC) to complete a natural dye project that I am hoping will be beneficial to nature lovers and natural dyers in my community and beyond.

Goldenrod and Queen Anne’s Lace growing in Gresham, Oregon

With the support of RACC I am embarking on an in-depth study of plants and other natural materials native to my hyperlocal geographic region of east Multnomah County, Oregon that can be used to dye fiber. The knowledge gained and organized through this project will not only enhance my own natural dye work work but also be incredibly valuable in making natural dyeing accessible to others. Historically, dyers relied heavily on natural materials available in their region, fostering a relationship between people, their textiles, and the land. The popularity of natural dyes has skyrocketed in recent years, leading to a wealth of misinformation on the internet, as well as businesses selling dye materials from plants that grow in different parts of the world and highly processed extracts that bear little resemblance to the plants they are derived from. These are not bad, but their complexity and cost make natural dyeing inaccessible to many people.

Alder cones are a rich source of tannin

A jarred powder is no substitute to the connection to nature, and to a specific place, that comes from stepping outside, picking tree cones from the ground and placing them in a pot to create beautifully dyed fabric. Multnomah County is best known for its largest city - Portland. While the city of Portland accounts for approximately 75% of the the county’s population, it accounts for just a fraction of the geographic area. East Multnomah County has abundant natural resources, from suburban parks and natural areas to the forests and waterfalls on the western edge of the Columbia River Gorge.

Through this project I will share the opportunity to create beautiful, and very local, natural color with my fellow residents, while deepening my own understanding of our local resources to guide and enhance my dye work.

While narrowing my scope to this geographic region may make this project seem irrelevant to those in other areas, many of the plants and natural materials that I plan to include in this study grow in a wide variety of climates and locations. It is my hope that the information shared through this project will be of value to anyone interested in learning more about natural dyes. Traditional crafts are kept alive through participation and by sharing knowledge and this project encompasses both.

Dyer’s polypore mushroom (Phaeolus schweinitzii ) collected in outer Southeast Portland

I plan on testing numerous local plants, keeping detailed notes of consistent methods and discovering the colors they create on cotton, silk, and wool fabric and yarns. The samples I make will be photographed to ensure accurate color representation and will be shared here on my website, along with the processes I used to dye them. I plan on sharing my samples, processes, and empowering others to experiment with natural materials in their backyards and neighborhoods though public talks to be scheduled in 2024. 

wool and silk fiber that I will use in this project

I welcome you to follow along with this project! I will be sharing my results here as I go along, as well as via my newsletter and social media. Find my social media links below and scroll to the bottom of this page to subscribe to my newsletter. On Instagram, all my posts related to this project will have the hashtag #eastmultnomahnaturaldyeproject so you can easily see them all.