For black:

Indian corn, mixed with wood ash, then boiled in water. Hulls should be skimmed out, the liquid boiled again, with another skimming step. Then, add root of golden seal. Add the basket material and boil the color into them.


For brown:

poplar sap (bright orange) plus pine resin. Again, boil.


For red:

Roots of fence-post locust trees are mixed with an equal concentration of chestnut roots. Add water, boil. Peach tree leaves are added at the end.


from Indian Uses of Native Plants, by Edith van Allen Murphey, ISBN 0-916638-15-4.