Designed for those new to natural dyeing or looking to deepen their practice, this four-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.
Learning Objectives:
By the end of the class, students will learn:
A foundational understanding of the history, science, and modern practice of natural dyeing.
Insight into essential supplies and equipment for natural dyeing.
How to source and properly clean cellulose fabrics prior to treating with tannins and mordants.
How to identify, process, and extract a dye bath from locally available dye plants, kitchen scraps, and traditional natural dyes.
Immersion dyeing with resist techniques for creating saturated colors and bold patterns on fabric.
Methods for shifting and expanding color possibilities using iron modifiers.
How to properly care for naturally dyed textiles.
Required Supplies:
– 2 yards of white 100% cotton fabric like this (45″ width). You are welcome to purchase elsewhere, but the fabric must be 100% cotton, and roughly 45″ x 72″.
– Thrifted white sheets work well as long as you check labels to make sure they are 100% cotton.
– 1 white 100% cotton item from home for dyeing, no larger than a t-shirt (t-shirt, bandana, baby onesie, tea towel).
– A stainless steel mixing bowl that can be dedicated to natural dyes like this
– Dust Mask (KN95 or similar)
– Dishwashing Gloves
– Notebook and pen or pencil
– A few paintbrushes in various sizes
Instructor Bio:
Laura Hricko (she/her) is a textile artist, educator, and lifelong Philadelphian dedicated to the conviction that art is transformative and capable of enriching the lives of all people. Laura’s artistic practice involves various fiber arts techniques, including quilting, mending, embroidery, and textile surface design. Most recently, Laura has been captivated by the processes of natural dyeing, which allow her to feel a deeper connection with nature and history, as she employs these ancient craft techniques to coax color from homegrown, foraged, and food-waste natural dye sources.
Monday evenings, Sept, 8, 15, 22, 29, 5:30 – 8:30pm
