turmeric dyed scarf for about a buck

Have I mentioned that I love the color yellow? I am emotionally attached to yellow. It has been my numero uno, color-wise, my whole life. To me, it represents hope and a hazy, comfy homeyness, and, if I'm being honest, fear, as in yellow bellied. all of these have been part of my journey.  

So, I got the idea of making a yellow scarf out of cheesecloth. Got a big package at Wal-Mart for five bucks, which makes about five scarfs. Turmeric is what I used to dye it. The only other thing you need is some white vinegar. Here's how to make the scarf. It is easy. 

Cut off 80 inches of cheesecloth, following one thread line for a clean edge. fold in half, joining ends, then half again. Set aside.

Boil 2 cups water. Add 4 teaspoons turmeric, 2 teaspoons of white vinegar, stir, removing from heat. Cool a little. Put into a glass bowl.

Fill another bowl with water and a couple tablespoons of white vinegar.

Now. take the cheesecloth in your hand, holing it on the end with the raw edges. Dip the other end in the turmeric water. Hold it here for a couple minutes with just the end submerged. Now dip it a little deeper, but keep the clump in your hand out of the dye. Hold it there a minute or so, then gently pull it up and press out the dye water. 

Plunge the whole scarf in the vinegar water and swish it around for a minute or so. Dump out the water and fill the bowl several more times with water and rinse until the water runs clean, then do again for good measure.

Press out the water gentlly, do not wring. Blot with an old towel or paper towels. Now you can ever so gently open up the fabric and lay it outside to dry on an old towel or smooth surface. Be careful of rough surfaces, as they might snag precious. 

If it is breezy, you can tenderly unfurl the scarf to dry and glisten in the breeze. 

 When it is dry, you can wear it with pride, or give as a gift. It should be colorfast due to the vinegar, but you may want to be careful wearing it with white until you have washed it a couple of times. Enjoy!