The Nature of Plant Dyeing
Summer-Fall Workshop Series
with Nicole Nicola
From plant to project, each workshop in this series will progress towards an intuitive understanding of plant dying that is about much more than just extracting color. Learn about preparation for different fibers, how the qualities of plants inform the color, and how to enjoy the many methods of extracting color with the knowledge that you can never go wrong.
Saturdays, 10am-3pm
August 29 -Introduction to the Nature of Dye Plants - Late Summer Yellows &
September 12 - Autumn Earthtones, and the Search for a Perfect Red
Includes: Fiber preparation, tannins, color changers, and immersion dyeing silk embroidery threads, cotton fabric and cozy wool yarn.
September 26 - Living with Indigo
Includes: Creating a healthy vat, fructose and thioux vats, folding, stitching and tying, and holding onto your color.
October 10 - Botanical Extracts and the Infinite Rainbow
Includes: Overdyeing, blending, variegation and creating your own extracts.`
November 21 - Bringing it all together
Includes: Review of all processes, and guidance in the process of creating materials for a self-designed project.
From plant to project, each workshop in this series will progress towards an intuitive understanding of fiber preparation, the nature of dye plants and how to work with them, methods of extracting color, indigo, botanical extracts, overdyeing and blending, eco-dyeing and starting a dye garden of your own.
5 Saturdays, 10am-3pm
Planned projects include:
Bundle dyed linen napkins
Eco dyed silk scarves
Cotton 10” x 10” color swatches
Sun dyed silk embroidery threads
Wool and cotton mini-skeins
An indigo tote bag or pillow covers
A sample book of colors and experiments
