These dip-dyed wooden spoons are so fun and easy to make, and would make the perfect housewarming or wedding gift!
You know I love a good dip-dying craft, and this is one I’ve been wanting to try for a while now. It turned out to be even easier than I thought, and just as much fun as I expected. And it looks even better!
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Make Your Own Dip Dyed Wooden Spoons
OK, here’s the basic break down: get wooden spoons, dip them in dye. That’s it! But read on for more details and a full tutorial.
You’ll need:
- Wooden spoons. Mine are bamboo, but any will work as long as they’re not already painted or sealed.
- Rit dye in any color you like. Bright or deep colors work best. For mine, I used Royal Blue, which turned out like a deep cobalt blue, similar to indigo or shibori dye.
- A bucket or stainless steel sink or large cup. I used my husband’s giant Coleman tumbler because it’s stainless steel and I knew the dye would leave no trace. (It’s a good idea to wash thoroughly after dyeing. See notes at the end.)
- Salt
- Optional – thick rubber bands for making patterns on the handles.
The Dye Process:
First, gather all your ingredients. You’ll be working with hot water, so it’s easiest to have everything at hand before you start, so the water doesn’t get cool while you’re searching for something.
Heat water to boiling and pour into cup or bucket. How much water you’ll use will depend on the size of what you’re dyeing. I only used about 16 ounces for this project.
Add a half teaspoon of Rit dye for each cup of water. Since I used about 2 cups of water, I put in about a teaspoon of dye. This isn’t an exact science, so feel free to experiment with different amounts of dye until you get the color and intensity you want.
Add salt. I used about half a teaspoon for 2 cups of water.
Stir well. You can actually use one of your wooden spoons for this if you want. Less to clean up!
Don’t get dye on your white quartz countertops! If you do, use Bar Keepers Friend to scrub it off as sooon as you notice it. Remember, the point of dye is to permanently color things!
Dip dying can be done in two ways. You can dip the spoon all the way in the dye bath briefly, then dip it less and less far each subsequent time. Or you can dip it in a tiny bit, then more and more to build up the color into an ombre effect. I think the second way gives you more control.
Dip Dye Variations
If you want several spoons to be dyed the same way, hold them all together with a little space between them, and dip them in together. This will give you an even application.
You could also try wrapping the spoons in rubber bands before dipping, for a cool resist effect. Use a wide rubber band and make sure it’s nice and tight around the handle.
Follow the same dipping process and let dry before removing the rubber bands.
Finish the Project
Usually, when you’re dying fabric, you would rinse the fabric in cold water before washing to set the dye, but with wood, there’s no need to rinse after. Simply allow them to dry well, and then you can coat them with polyacrylic sealer or food grade wax if desired. I chose not to seal mine, since they’ll be mostly decorative.
Speaking of which, you’ll want to hand wash your utensils, which is probably what you would do anyway with wood. If you’re cooking with these, it’s better for use only of the spoon end, not immersing the handle.
Notes:
Since we’re dealing with cooking utensils here, I just want to say a few words about crafts and food safety.
You’ll notice I just dyed the handles of these spoons, which is mostly because I figured the dye might not last through multiple uses and washings. But I also wanted to be on the safe side because when you’re working with dyes, you generally don’t want to eat off them, unless they are specifically food safe dyes.
According to Rit’s website, their dye is non-toxic but “not a food-grade dye” so I would avoid contacting food with the dyed part of these spoons.
Are you hooked on dip-dying yet? Check out these other tutorials for more inspiration!