This class teaches the fundamentals of using plants, plant extracts and dyestuffs to color fabric. Students will learn how to mordant fabric, and use natural dye powders such as cutch, kamala and parrot tree as well as raw plant material such as dyers chamomile to create beautifully colored fabric. We will be dyeing various fabrics to see how the color looks on different types of fabric.
If you are just trying things out for the time being, I do have a kit with all the necessary items to get you started.
Purchase the Kit: The kit includes a 1oz package of an extract, a 2oz package of regular dye powder and tannin, and a 6 oz package of non-ferric Aluminum Sulfate all for $25.00.
- Apron
- Mask
- Gloves
- Notebook
- Card stock (to display samples)
- stapler/staples
- Sharpie Marker
- label stickers (optional)
- hole punch (optional)
- Pinking shears (optional)(to make samples look pretty)
- Further necessary equipment is reviewed in the first lesson
- If making a sample booklet, different cellulose and protein fabrics, cut into 2″x5″ pieces. Otherwise, fabric of your choice, one cellulose (cotton, bamboo, hemp, rayon) and one protein (silk or wool).
- Natural dyes of your choice. You can purchase a kit from my website at Twig and Berry dyes (the link can be found on the “Courses” page on this website) or if you would like or you can purchase dyes from various sources, such as Maiwa, Botanical Colors, Cupid Falls Farms, or The Yarn Tree to name a few.