Wooden beads are a great choice for jewelry making, as they are an incredibly versatile piece of equipment. These types of beads are strong and lightweight, which means they are a great choice for people who want to look stylish even when they are out and about, or those who want something that is suitable to wear even when doing sports. . One of the best things about wooden items is that they are a natural option for those who do not want synthetic products. However, sometimes plain beads aren’t quite right for the jewelry you want to make. Fortunately, it’s very easy to dye wooden beads with natural dyes, to help you get the bead color you need to complete your project. Here’s a quick guide on how to dye your own beads with natural dye:
For this project, you’ll need to start by assembling boiling water, wooden beads, natural dye (for some projects you can use food coloring, but in these cases you should avoid wearing your jewelry in any circumstances where it might get very wet), gloves rubber, an old glass container, a metal skimmer, and some paper towels.
Start by filling the container with boiling water and adding the wooden beads you want to dye. Leave the beads in the water for about 20 minutes, as this will help them become more porous and allow them to take up the dye better. Remove the beads from the water and pour out the water.
Refill the container with fresh boiling water, adding dye as needed. Different dyes will require different amounts to use, so it’s best to check the instructions for the product you’re using, however, as a general rule of thumb, the more dye you use, the more vivid the resulting color will be. Remember that you are only staining the wooden beads, so the end result will never be terribly bright beads. You should probably use about 2 teaspoons of dye in a bowl of water.
Add the water-softened wooden beads to the container and let them sit in the stained water for another 20 minutes. Once 20 minutes have elapsed, remove the beads from the water with the slotted spoon (or a strainer) and gently shake them to allow any excess water or dye to drain back into the container. Place the wooden beads on a thick layer of paper towels to help absorb any excess water that remains and to prevent the wet beads from coming into contact with other surfaces that can absorb the stain. Be sure to allow freshly dyed beads to dry for at least 24 hours before wearing. If the beads are still wet at the end of the 24 hours, then you need to wait a bit longer or the dye may still stain your fingers.
