Different methods are used in preparing the straw for dyeing. Some wrap small amounts of twisted or untwisted straw into rings whilst others tie together large bundles. A pot of water is brought to the boil and the dye is added. The dyes used are the natural basic and vat dyes commonly used for dyeing cotton cloth. The straw is then submersed in the solution and pressed down by the weight of big stones. The straw is boiled for between 15-20 minutes and sometimes more.
For bright coloured baskets, the straw is first dyed yellow, allowed to dry and then dyed again with the preferred colour. However, for baskets which do not need colour, the straw is boiled without dyes. The above dyeing process through boiling also goes a long way to kill any remnant seeds, although at this stage there should be no seeds.
