The Magic of Dyeing and Ink Making: My Journey with Walnut Husks
walnut tree with ripe walnuts
the green walnut husks can be use for ink making
A few years back my parents acquired two small plots of land filled with apple, cherry and plum trees. On one of these plots, on a quite steep hill among all the other trees, stands a magnificent walnut tree. Majestic and much older than the other trees, it still bears walnuts most of the years. In the autumn of 2022, after an inspiring trip to the US, I collected the first time not just the walnuts, but also the husks of that walnut tree. That year the tree was full with fruits.
Earlier that spring, I discovered a book called Make Ink by Jason Logan. I don’t remember exactly how it came into my life - perhaps a blog, a newsletter from an artist I follow, or maybe an Instagram post. But this book is truly magical. It brought back so many childhood memories of foraging and collecting - fruits, mushrooms, veggies - that was one of our frequent activities. My grandma’s garden was full of these opportunities and we spent a lot of time there.
The book is filled with fascinating recipes for ink and color, and the one that caught my eye was a recipe for walnut husk ink. Naturally, I had to try it. One afternoon, I collected two buckets full of husks and headed home to experiment. Now, cooking isn’t really my strength - I enjoy it occasionally, but for big meals like Christmas dinner, I leave it to my sister and my dad, who are both wonderful cooks!
So there I was, surrounded by heaps of husks, experimenting with water ratios and cooking times. The kitchen quickly turned into a chaotic mess. The first batch resulted in a very light brown ink, which wasn’t quite what I was hoping for. I love rich pigments like Sumi ink, and while I knew the walnut husk ink wouldn’t be as dark, I was still aiming for a deeper hue. For the next batch, I used more husks and extended the cooking time. This batch simmered for over two hours, and the water turned a rich dark brown. Midway through, I decided to dye some threads I had left over from other projects - white, off-white, and grey. I tied little bundles and immersed them in the pot.
After cooking, I strained the mixture through a coffee filter into a glass bottle, adding cloves to prevent molding and a few drops of gum arabic. The ink turned out beautifully - a warm brown that was lighter on fabric than on paper, creating a perfect backdrop for my embroidery. More ink went into the fridge for later use. The thread bundles took on a nice brown tone as well, varying in their hues depending on the color they had before.
Despite the successful first batches, I still had one and a half buckets of husks left. They’d surely mold if left uncooked, and with just one small pot, the process would take forever. I recalled how we used to preserve vegetables from my grandma’s garden in large jars during autumn - tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, carrots. We washed, cut, and prepared them with a vinegar and salt mixture, sealing the jars while hot to enjoy them in winter.
Inspired by this method, I adapted it for ink-making. Skipping the washing step, I used hot water with vinegar and salt, filling the jars with husks, then pouring the mixture over them. I made around ten additional batches this way, storing them in my basement. Now, when I need more homemade ink, I open a jar. Letting time and sunlight extract the pigment for a beautiful brown ink.
This journey of experimentation and connection to nature has been incredibly fulfilling. It blends my love for art, nature, and the joy of discovering new techniques. Whether it’s the rich hues of the walnut ink or the memories of my childhood foraging adventures, this experience has added a new layer of depth to my creative process.
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