Introduction to Natural Dyes

Before synthetic dyes humans used plants, animals, and minerals to color everything. Learn the ancient art of natural dyes and discover the secrets and gifts of plant color. Color lives in everyday life; find pink inside your lunchtime avocado pit; see yellow in the papery onion husks that line the supermarket bins; call forth oranges and reds from the roadside eucalyptus.

You’ll learn the basics of the process including plant collection, mordanting, fiber choices, extraction and dyeing methods, shibori techniques, ways to shift color after dyeing and how to care for naturally dyed cloth. Use natural dyes to create designs on one silk handkerchief and one cotton dish towel to take home for your enjoyment.