Workshops and Classes
Teaching the art of capturing color from plants.
Learn how to use locally grown flowers, food waste, and foraged plants to make beautiful, naturally dyed textiles in my hands-on workshops and classes. Listings are updated often!
Natural Dyes: Patterns & Prints
Designed for beginners and seasoned crafters alike, this 10-week workshop is an exciting exploration into the art of creating dynamic patterns and prints on fabric using natural dyes. We’ll cover a variety of surface design techniques using stamps, stencils, and brushes in combination with a diverse array of natural dye sources and mordant pastes. We’ll extract dye baths from several natural sources, including food waste, locally grown plants, and traditional historic dyes, and use shibori resist techniques and dye modifiers to create vibrant colors and intricate patterns on cloth. Several methods for the direct application of natural dyes onto fabric will also be covered, including bundle dyeing and eco-printing. Gain a comprehensive understanding of natural dyeing techniques and their applications in surface design and discover the endless possibilities for creating works of art on fabric with natural dyes.
Local Natural Dyes: Philly’s Autumn Colors
Designed for those new to natural dyeing or looking to deepen their practice, this five-week hands-on workshop explores the vibrant world of natural color using plants and materials found right here in Philadelphia. From neighborhood trees and native flowers to kitchen scraps and common garden plants, you’ll learn how to turn everyday local resources into stunning, naturally dyed textiles.
We’ll cover fiber selection, scouring, and best practices for pretreating fabric with tannins and mordants, tailored to the specific natural dyes we’ll be using. Dye baths will be extracted from a variety of sources, including food waste, traditional dye plants, and the local flora growing in our urban environment. You’ll also experiment with shibori resist techniques and dye modifiers in combination with immersion dyeing to create bold patterns and long-lasting color.
Leave with a beautiful collection of naturally dyed textiles, a hand-dyed item of your choice (like a shirt, tea towel, or baby onesie), and a fresh appreciation for the hidden natural color all around you.
All skill levels welcome. No class is held on October 12th.
Eco-Printing with Wildflowers
Join me for this hands-on workshop at Stoneleigh: a natural garden, where the surrounding landscape will serve as both inspiration and resource. Using locally grown and native dye flowers and foliage, this workshop will guide you through the natural dye technique known as “eco-printing” to create an organic cotton bandana and silk scarf. As we work, we’ll discuss the fundamentals of natural dyeing, including fiber preparation, plant selection, and the unique qualities of plant dyes. While surrounded by the biodiversity that Stoneleigh’s gardens celebrate, you’ll experience the magic of coaxing color from plants to create lasting prints on fabric and deepen your understanding of sustainable textile art.
This workshop is appropriate for ages 8+ and all experience levels. All materials and supplies are provided.
Shibori with Plant Dyes
Learn how to use traditional Japanese shibori techniques in combination with plants to create beautiful, naturally dyed textiles. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll explore the art of resist dyeing to create unique patterns on fabric through various folding and binding methods. As we work, we’ll discuss the fundamentals of natural dyeing, including fiber preparation, plant selection, and the unique qualities of plant dyes. You’ll leave the workshop with a plant-dyed organic cotton bandana of your own design and a deeper understanding of sustainable textile art. Experience the magic of coaxing color from plants with these ancient craft techniques that will lead you to rethink the creative potential of the natural world.
All materials are provided.
Eco-Printing with Pressed Flowers & Autumn Leaves
Learn how to create beautiful, one-of-a-kind botanical prints on textiles using a variety of flowers and leaves at Greenbelt Nature Center, where the surrounding landscape will serve as both inspiration and resource. This hands-on workshop will guide participants through the natural dye process known as "eco-printing" using pressed dye flowers and autumn leaves to create a custom organic cotton bandana that captures the beauty of nature. As we work, we’ll discuss the fundamentals of natural dyeing, including fiber preparation, plant selection, and the unique dye properties of flowers and leaves. Experience the magic of extracting dyes from ordinary plants to impart rich colors and stunning patterns on fabric that will lead you to rethink the creative potential of the natural world. This workshop is appropriate for all levels of experience, ages 12+.
All materials are provided.
Foundations of Natural Dyeing
Discover the rich world of natural color in this four-week introduction to natural dyeing on cloth. Through hands-on practice, you’ll learn the essential processes that make natural dyes both beautiful and long-lasting. We’ll cover fiber sourcing, proper cleaning and scouring techniques, and best practices for pretreating fabric with tannins and mordants, all tailored to the specific natural dyes being used. We'll extract dye baths from a range of materials, from kitchen scraps and locally grown plants to traditional dyes with long histories of use. We’ll experiment with color variation through pH and iron modifiers, and incorporate shibori resist techniques to create layers of pattern and visual interest. Along the way, we'll discuss the history, science, and sustainability of natural dyes, gaining a deeper understanding of the relationship between plants, textiles, and color.
By the end of the class, you’ll have created a collection of naturally dyed fabrics. Additionally, you’ll transform a cotton or linen item of your choice—such as a shirt, baby onesie, or tea towel—from start to finish using natural dyes.
Eco-Printing with Eucalyptus & Autumn Leaves
Learn how to create beautiful, one-of-a-kind botanical prints on textiles using a variety of leaves. This hands-on workshop will guide participants through the natural dye process known as "eco-printing" using eucalyptus and autumn leaves to create an organic cotton bandana of your own design. Eco-printing is a direct dyeing technique that creates near-perfect plant prints on fabric or paper. As we work, we’ll discuss the fundamentals of natural dyeing, including fiber preparation, plant selection, and the unique dye properties of flowers and leaves. Experience the magic of extracting dye from ordinary leaves to impart rich colors and stunning patterns on fabric that will lead you to rethink the creative potential of the natural world. All materials are provided.