I have been looking for a blush pink linen for quite sometime but with COVID it has made ordering anything pretty difficult. A lot of things are out of stock and shipping times are months out. So, I decided to dye my own linen using Avocados.

Avocados turn fabric pink? Sounds ridiculous right? But it works! The end product is a stunning pink that I couldn’t have purchased plus my teenage daughter and I had fun doing it together – double win!

Supplies you will need:

1. Pre washed white linen ( I purchased mine at JoAnns on sale + a coupon )
2. 3 avocado pits and skins ( remove all the green insides making sure you leave none behind )
3. 2 large pots
4. wooden spoon for mixing

Grab your 3 avocados and separate the pits and skins making sure to leave no green behind and then place them in a large pot.

Fill your pot up with 12 cups of water and place it on the stove and bring to a boil. Once your water is boiling reduce heat to simmer for 3 hours and cover. The longer you allow the water/avocado mixture to simmer the darker your color will be. 3 hours is what we did but if you wanted a lighter pink 1-2 hours will be good.

When you have about a half hour left for your mixture to simmer grab another pot and fill it with water. You are going to boil your pre washed fabric for 30 min before placing it in your avocado water to Dye.

After your Avocado water has finished simmering you will want to remove the pits and skins from the water before you transfer your boiled fabric. You will notice that your avocado water is a dark color – that’s a good sign. Also note that its not pink..its more of a brownish color. Don’t worry, it will Dye your fabric pink!

Once you have transferred your fabric to your ready to dye water you will want to keep your water simmering during the dye process. I kept my fabric in the Dye for 2 hours and made sure to stir every 15-20 ish minutes. Stiring your fabric/dye mixture often will ensure that your fabric will have even color.

After your fabric has simmered for 2 hours remove it and immediately rinse it with cold water and wash with mild soap until your water runs clear. After your fabric has been washed and rinsed set it out to dry. It does look pretty light once your wash it all out but don’t worry once it dries it darkens right up. I draped my  fabric out on our clothes line (avoid using clothes pins) to dry in the sunshine.

When its all dry you are left with this beautiful blush color! I’m actually planning on sewing a pillow with mine and I have already dyed several other things. You can save your dye for later use too. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up 6-8 weeks.

There are so many different foods that dye fabrics just like avocados do using this same technique. I’m going to try strawberries next.

Thanks for stopping by the blog today.

Ali