To make dye bath soak cones, twigs and leaves together in a mixing bowl or pan. The water will go dark brown. Boil up then simmer for one or two hours. Keep checking water level.
Adde silk to dye bath, but only when temperature had lowered to hand hot, or silk will roughen. Never boil silk. Stir frequently for even dye coverage and leave overnight to finish absorption. In most cases, colour deepens the longer silk is left.
A secondary paler colour can be achieved in a new silk sample if added to dye bath for 24hours. I would enhance the absorption ability by pre-mordanting in powdered allum.