This dye kit can be used for both coloring fabric and brewing tea. It contains elderberries, cotton scarves and 2 mordant options for binding the pink and purple hue of elderberry onto fiber: aluminum sulfate and white vinegar. 

Elderberry is a deciduous tree and perennial herb native to tropical and temperate regions around the world, including Africa, the Caribbean and the Americas. Ruled by the Moon, it often grows in wooded areas, along the banks of streams, rivers and marshes, and on damp roadsides. Elderberry is an important food source for Native Americans consumed in the form of tea, syrup, jam and wine. 

Native American cultures such as the Pomo and Maidu people in California have used elderberries for natural dye in their traditional crafts, including fiber for woven baskets, pipes and other sacred ceremonial objects. 

MATERIALS: Elderberries, Aluminum Sulfate, White Vinegar and Cotton Scarves 

DIRECTIONS: 

FOR TEA: Add 1 tbsp of berries to a pot of water. Boil for 20+ minutes to make a strong infusion, strain out the berries and pour into a cup. Enjoy!

FOR DYE: Add 2 tbsp of berries to a pot of water. Boil to make a strong infusion, add your mordant of choice (1:2 ratio for alum and 1:1 ratio for vinegar), and cotton fabric. Let this solution soak overnight. Rinse fabric in cold water and dry.