Dee Sayce

Natural dyes can be made using a variety of plant materials including leaves, flowers, roots, tree barks and kitchen waste. The use of alum and iron as mordants can also extend the variety of the dye colours. Throughout history, people have dyed their textiles using common, locally available materials, this can still be a very satisfying way of adding colour to fabric and yarn to use in your own craft project. Natural Dyes Workshop In this workshop we will make natural dyes from a variety of sources and use alum and iron mordants. We will dye yarn and fabric in the heated dye pots, using tried and tested recipes. We will use the dyed yarn and fabric from our dye pots to produce a colourful sample swatch, for you to keep as a record and use for future reference. This workshop aims to teach you the basics of natural dyeing for you to gain enough knowledge and confidence to continue natural dyeing independently. All materials and equipment are provided. Wear clothes that you don't mind getting messy, or bring an apron. You may also like to bring a small garment, like a t-shirt, a similar size piece of fabric, or some yarn to put in one of the dye pots.