Learn to dye yarn using the plant world. A little chemistry, a little magic, and a lot of fun! Our focus will be on local plants and ancient dye materials. The weather and season determines the plants that we use. We will select from the ancient dyes of weld, osage orange, logwood, cochineal, madder and others.
The
ancient art of natural dyeing is being rediscovered. It is a joy to work with natural materials.
Flowers, leaves, barks, roots, berries, lichens, minerals, and even
insects are sources for dyes. Each dye pot is unique and individual. You will discover that nature provides us with a rainbow of colors that show up in our everyday lives.
We
will use a variety of dye stuffs to color yarns in this one-day
session. We will also talk about local plants that can be responsibly
collected and used in season.
We will learn to prepare the yarn
(or fibers) for dyeing, make the dye liquors, and dye mini skeins of
yarn. * If you want to dye fleece or a larger amount of yarn for a
project, please let us know whne you sign up for the workshop. We will also
experiment with various mordants and after bathes to enhance/vary
colors. In addition, we will discuss safe dyeing techniques and how
to dispose of spent dye baths in a responsible and respectful manner.
Pre requisites: None
Materials needed:
Rubber gloves (thick kitchen gloves to protect your hands from heat and dye)
Wear old clothes (we are working with permanent dyes)
Notebook and pen or pencil
Thin permanent marker (black or blue) for labeling
Masking tape (small roll) for labeling
Optional: Apron (plastic or cloth) and a dust mask
If you have any buckets or plastic dish washing pans we can use for the day, please bring them
along.
Things you may collect and bring include: carrot tops, onion skins and /or avocado peels (wash the avocado peels and let them dry), sumac tops and leaves.
Bring a propane camp stove or propane turkey fryer (if you have one). The
more stoves we have, the more dyeing we can do! Please let us know
ahead of time if you can bring a working stove. Enameled (no
chips) or stainless dye pots. These cannot be used for foods after
dyeing in them, so go to a thrift shop if you want to begin your dye
studio.
Presented by:
Kathryn Rowe Drescher.
Kathy is a dyer, weaver, knitter, and spinner from Traverse
City/Rockford, with 30 years of dyeing and teaching experience. She is
looking forward to sharing her love of color and the magic of dye with
us.
Kathy Kolenda is a dyer, knitter and spinner from the Rockford area.
September 14 10 am
to 4 pm
Workshop fee: $80 Registration closes September 5, 2008.
Materials
fee: $14, payable to instructor on day of class, covers the cost of
fuels, pre-wound sample yarn skeins, dyes, mordants, and handouts.
Please bring a sack lunch. Water and teas will be provided.
The class is limited to 15 participants.