Natural Dye Workshops

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educational videos

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EDUCATION THIS SEASON

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My pre-recorded workshop videos are for anyone interested in learning traditional & modern dye methods covering natural dyes in many forms. Learn everything from proper and thorough pre-treatment of natural fibers, to efficient extraction of vibrant and beneficial color from natural sources, to surface design techniques, and tips and tricks to coaxing color in a gentle yet effective way. See all five workshop descriptions below.

• Participants can watch at their own pace from the comfort of home.

• Workshops are designed to be taken either individually or all together for a more comprehensive natural dye education.

• Each workshop also come with a comprehensive set of resources PDF’s that The Dogwood Dyer has spent years compiling- including sections covering materials, step by step tutorials, the world's renowned natural dyers, research and innovation in natural color, the standout publications for natural dyers, and more!

Purchase Recorded

Workshops Here

Solid Foundations in Natural Dyeing: Sourcing, Cleaning & Pre-Treatments for Fiber

In this course you will discover the importance of preparation of fibers for natural dye colors that are saturated and lasting. Learn how paying attention to fiber type, water quality and special considerations to temperature and timing that will streamline your dyeing process. Understand the plethora of options available to the natural dyer for fabric preparation and how varied natural dye preparation steps can be based upon your substrate, desired outcome, or your ethical and environmental concerns. Sustainable fiber Sourcing, Cleaning & Scouring, Mordanting (various minerals, plants and proteins), Sizing and Curing will be thoroughly explained to set you on the right and most efficient fabric/fiber preparation course possible. If you’re confused about conflicting information surrounding mordants and fabric prep, take this course to understand various techniques and approaches and which may suit you best.

This is a recording of a class taught from my outdoor natural dye studio. Demonstration and lessons are the bulk of class with a Q&A at the end. You will receive a materials list, and detailed informational documents. This workshop gains you access to the recording, so you can work at your own pace on your own time.  PURCHASE WORKSHOP HERE

Fresh Indigo Dyeing & Pigment Extraction

Take a deep dive into the joys of creating your very own botanical blue from plant to textile. If you are an indigo grower, or contemplating growing your own, this course will walk you through how to reap your precious botanical blue in a multitude of ways. The first portion of class will cover the process of ‘Fresh Leaf Indigo Dyeing’ or direct indican dyeing. I will demonstrate 2 distinct methods of fresh leaf indigo dyeing (I am growing Japanese indigo -or- ‘persicaria tinctoria’ , but this process will also work with tropical indigo plant species like ‘Indigofera’ ) to dye silk, wool, and even cellulose fibers like cotton and linen. Fresh indigo colors of aqua and turquoise are perhaps my favorite hues possible from any plant! You will learn many tips and tricks I have gleaned from 8 years of cultivating and experimenting with this very special dye plant. You’ll also learn what to do with leftover fresh leaf dye and how to squeeze every last coloring drop out of indigo leaves and how it is also possible to create tones of pink, purple, green and yellow all from this one plant! 

The second portion of class will focus on Indigo Pigment Extraction from fresh plants. This more complicated process will be demonstrated in full from garden leaves to dry pigment, showing step by step how to most effectively create your own shelf stable homegrown blue pigment that can then be used at any time to make indigo ink, paint, watercolors, and of course used to make an indigo vat for dyeing textiles. I will also discuss a direct vatting method (starting with fresh leaves & ending with an indigo vat without having to dry pigment). There’s nothing like extracting your own indigo to contribute to a more holistic understanding of indigo’s distinctly different process and chemistry within the context of natural dyes. 

This is a recording of a class taught from my outdoor natural dye studio. Demonstration and lessons are the bulk of class with a Q&A at the end. You will receive a materials list, and detailed informational documents. This workshop gains you access to the recording, so you can work at your own pace on your own time.  PURCHASE WORKSHOP HERE

Extracting Color & Dyeing Fiber

This workshop will focus on how to coax color from natural substances for the dye pot. Four specific historically important adjective (or “mordant”) dyes will be explored to create a whole spectrum of color for cloth. Although every plant or natural dye material is unique and comes with it’s own particular procedure for efficient and effective color creation, the dyestuffs explored in this class will exhibit the many variables and highlight various possible methods for extraction available to the natural dyer. This class will cover dye plant classification as well as how to responsibly source plants for dye (ethical foraging & supporting sustainable plant dye producers), how best to extract color from each type of dyestuff, and the best way to manipulate and control fiber/fabric for even uptake of dye. Learn how water quality and character can make all the difference in your natural dyeing process, as well as other important process variables such as seasonality, temperature and timing. Creating compound colors by layering different natural dyes and metal salt / pH modifiers will also be covered. And for the economical dyer: exhausting dyebaths to make use of all your precious plant color and Lake Pigment making will be demonstrated so that you can never waste another leftover dyebath. For a comprehensive approach to the natural dye process consider taking the Solid Foundations course as well as the Indigo Vat course. Participants will also gain access to my collection of Shibori / Tie Dye Instructional Videos to further supplement your natural dye surface design skills. 

This is a recording of a class taught from my outdoor natural dye studio. Demonstration and lessons are the bulk of class with a Q&A at the end. You will receive a materials list, and detailed informational documents. This workshop gains you access to the recording, so you can work at your own pace on your own time.  PURCHASE WORKSHOP HERE

Indigo: Making, Tending & Dyeing in the Vat

This course is rich and full of useful information for the indigo dyer (beginner or experienced). Have you read indigo vat making instructions & felt overwhelmed or puzzled as to the why & how of the process? Does the science & chemistry of it all seem daunting? Have you tried dyeing with indigo & been disappointed with results or lightfastness or felt like you’re not doing it “right”? This workshop will aim to answer many basic & advanced questions about all things surrounding the indigo vat. In this class we will be making multiple types of organic vats including fructose, whole local fruit, henna, iron and dried leaf indigo vats (& learning the advantages & applications for each), how to roll with troubleshooting the maintenance of a vat, painting with indigo pigment, best practices for dyeing in a vat & making designs on cloth (including shibori & paste resist methods) as well as finishing & caring for natural indigo dyed textiles. I have some experiences I’m excited to share about working outside of formulas & making an indigo vat with a better understanding as opposed to just following a prescribed recipe. 

Participants will also gain access to my collection of Shibori / Tie Dye Instructional Videos to further supplement your natural dye surface design skills. 

This is a recording of a class taught from my outdoor natural dye studio. Demonstration and lessons are the bulk of class with a Q&A at the end. You will receive a materials list, and detailed informational documents. This workshop gains you access to the recording, so you can work at your own pace on your own time.  PURCHASE WORKSHOP HERE

Bundle Dyeing, Eco Printing, Flower & Leaf Pounding

Join me with a garden full of blooming flowers: the perfect time to explore the expansive, intuitive and beautiful art of creating plant prints on fabric. This class will demonstrate 3 distinct ways to impart plant prints and color on cloth: Bundle Dyeing, Eco Printing and Tatakizome or leaf printing. Each technique is slightly different and results are always beautifully one-of-a-kind. You will learn the importance of proper fabric preparation based on specific plants (or specific parts of plants!) being employed, and the multitude of ways these 3 techniques can be slightly altered for an abundance of possible outcomes. There will be dozens of plants used in my demonstrations- and the bundle dyeing portion alone is a dyeplant profile education in itself! These techniques are all particularly useful for those hoping to breathe new colorful life into their wardrobe or linen closet and perfectly suited for overdyeing stained or dingy clothing. They are also water-wise methods, employing much less fresh water than other natural dye processes, making them especially earth friendly. You will come away with printed worksheets outlining my favorite sustainable fabric resources, lists of dye plants and flowers to try as well as where to find them near you (you don’t have to have a garden with fresh flowers to take this class), and procedural instructions on all the techniques demonstrated.  This workshop covers my unique pre-fixative/ mordant method for Plant & Botanical Printing that creates clear, sharp and neat prints.

This is a recording of a class taught from my outdoor natural dye studio. Demonstration and lessons are the bulk of class with a Q&A at the end. You will receive a materials list, and detailed informational documents. This workshop gains you access to the recording, so you can work at your own pace on your own time.  PURCHASE WORKSHOP HERE