acorns have been used to make ink for centuries.

Learn how to enrich your artwork & textiles with these natural hues...

Make Ink from Acorns

enrol now for £47
Will you join me for a wander through the woods?

As we step through the soft, rustling leaves on the forest floor, we’ll find an ancient oak tree and gather a basketful of acorns—treasures hidden among the roots and fallen leaves...

Reconnect with the timeless knowlege of past generations who have crafted acorn ink.

Whether you’re painting on paper or fabric, we’ll infuse your creations with unique seasonal colour.

Are you –

  • Curious about the ancient art of natural ink-making using acorns, walnuts, oak galls or bark?
  • Wondering how you can create beautiful artwork or textiles using sustainable, foraged materials?
  • Passionate about eco-friendly crafts that connect you more deeply to the natural world?

If you nodded along to any of those, then I suspect you’ll like this...

Introducing...

Make Ink from Acorns

Create your own ink from acorns and other foraged plants, such as tree cones, oak galls, walnuts and bark. Experience the magic of creating something beautiful and practical from freely available, natural resources.

No matter where you live in the world, my tried and tested recipes will guide you to create beautiful inks.

sign me up, please

Lovely words from a student about another of rebecca’s dye courses...

“I found this course (Dye With Your Local Plants) incredibly helpful! I love how Rebecca gives principles that you can apply to the native flora within your country. The course was really easy to follow and explain well with videos and text! I would highly recommend this course if you are keen to naturally dye fabric!”

– May-Lyn

Did you know that traditional inks were crafted from acorns and gallnuts for centuries?

These natural ingredients were once prized for their rich hues and unique qualities.

Join me in exploring this fascinating heritage as we bring ancient techniques to life through modern creativity.

TELL ME MORE

Preview the course

What you’ll learn

Make ink from acorns

  • Extract tannins from acorns. You can use either fresh (green) or dried (brown) acorns.
  • Add iron/rust to the ink to transform the colour to dark grey/black.
  • Thicken the ink to create the perfect consistency for painting on paper.
  • How to preserve and store your ink so it doesn’t go mouldy.

Paint on fabric

  • Thicken the ink further to paint onto fabric.
  • How to test the ink to achieve the ideal consistency for your project.
  • Correctly prepare your fabric before painting so the dye fixes to the fibres.
  • How to heat-set the ink so the colour doesn’t wash out.

Stencil designs onto fabric

  • Thicken your ink into a much more viscous paste that is ideal for even more precise painting and fine lines.
  • Make a stencil from freezer paper. Either make your own design, or print out my leaf template and trace this.
  • How to apply the ink for the most precise results and the crispest outline.
  • How to heat-set the fabric so the ink lasts after washing.

Suggestions for using other plants

  • Detailed advice on making ink from other tannin rich plants, including gallnuts, walnut husks, pomegranate skins, tea, bark, and various types of tree cones.
  • Substitute these plants into the acorn recipe and follow my suggestions for adapting the method.
  • No matter where you are, you can follow the recipes and adapt them to the unique plants in your local environment.
  • Advice on how to make ink from flowers.
So shall we?

Grab a basket and let’s gather acorns, tree cones, gallnuts or walnuts, then we’ll return home and begin to make your ink.

I’ll show you how to extract the most tannins from your plants, so you can create a potent ink that won’t fade away in sunlight.

“Going to the woods is going home.”

– John Muir

make ink from your local plants

Everything you need to know to confidently make ink from acorns and other local, tannin-rich plants:

  • 8 videos, divided into bitesize chunks. 80 minutes in total. Very clear and concise.
  • Subtitles in English, French, German, Spanish and Italian.
  • Detailed written notes and recipes to accompany every video.
  • Access to a private Facebook group where you can ask Rebecca questions and receive additional support. Plus make friends with other natural dyers from around the world and chat about your projects!
  • Ongoing access to the videos and lesson notes. Log into the website at any point to access the course materials.
(Re)connect with nature

Learning about the trees in your local surroundings will open your eyes to the beauty around you.

Before long, you’ll be spotting dye potential wherever you go. It’s a beautiful new way of experiencing the world.

Explore your local colour...

enrol today

£47

  • 80 minutes of bite-size videos.
  • Written dye recipes that you can easily refer to.
  • Access to a private Facebook group for support & guidance.
  • Lifetime access to the videos and lessons. Log into your account to view the classes at any point.
get started now

Meet your instructor

Hi, I’m Rebecca!

Over the last decade, I’ve taught thousands of people natural dyeing via my books and online courses.

Years ago, I started off dyeing with powdered dye extracts that I bought online. Although these were beautiful, I longed to feel more of a connection to my local environment.

Then, everything changed when I became a mother. I’d go on long walks with my baby and return with my pockets stuffed full of plants. Alder cones and dandelions were some of the first local dyes I tried.

Then, as my son got older, he would help me forage for plants too. Together, we learnt about the different trees and “weeds” growing around us. A lot of sweet memories were captured on cloth.

I realised that I didn’t need to spend money on dyes, as I had an array of beautiful dye plants right on my doorstep.

Ever since then, I’ve been on a journey of discovery in search of new colours from my local plants. There’s always something new to discover from nature.

Join me in my studio where I share my dyeing secrets and inspire you to unlock the colour from the plants around you.

I want to join you, Rebecca!

Enrol for £47, with lifetime access

Frequently Asked Questions

After you’ve placed your order, you’ll be asked to create an account and choose a password. Then you can log in to your account on any device or computer to access the content. You’ll be able to watch the videos and read the course notes at any point.

You’ll have lifetime access, so you’ll be able to watch the videos and access the other course materials for as long as they are available on the internet, which will be many years.

Yes, the videos are also available in my membership (get access for a monthly cost).

Or you can get lifetime access right now in Make Ink from Acorns for a one-off payment.

There are extra lesson notes on making ink from other tannin rich plants and flowers.

Yes, of course! After enrolling into the course, you’ll have access to my private Facebook group where you can post any questions and I’ll help you.

You’ll need 1 cup of acorns (fresh or dried, and it’s fine to include acorn caps), water, a stainless steel saucepan and a lid, a spoon for stirring, and a heat source.

For straining the ink: a bowl, metal sieve and fabric cloth.

To darken the ink: ferrous sulphate crystals to darken the ink (you can buy this from natural dye supply shops).

To store the ink: glass bottles or jars, a small funnel or pipette for transferring ink to your bottle, tea tree or wintergreen essential oils to preserve the ink.

Gums to thicken your ink: Liquid gum arabic, as well as a powdered gum (e.g. gum arabic, gum tragacanth or guar gum).

To paint onto fabric: a paint brush, paint palette or little bowls, plus an iron to heat-set the paint.

To create your own stencil: freezer paper (it has a plastic coating on one side that can be ironed onto fabric to hold it in place.)

This course is for you if:

  • You’d like to create gorgeous ink from your local surroundings and use in art projects, on both paper and fabric.
  • You’re ready to embrace the beautiful imperfections in natural materials.
  • You’re looking to bring more moments of mindfulness into your life

This course is NOT for you if:

  • You’d like to make perfectly repeatable colours.
  • You’re not interested in foraging local plants and experimenting with their colour potential.
Are you ready to join me and make your own ink?
Let’s do this together!

Join for £47