This session is suitable for both beginners or those who have dabbled in dyeing before. The session will include setting up your home dye bath, preparing dyes and dyeing collected fabrics/yarns/materials as well as learning several traditional shibori (japanese style tie dye folding) techniques.
This event takes place over Zoom.
This event is open to our registered patients at James Wigg and Queens Crescent GP Practices in Kentish Town. To attend please get in touch to register for a place.
Materials List
General
Fabric/material: Natural dyestuff will dye natural materials
You can dye as much or as little as you like so long as it will fit in your pot. For learning the shibori technique, we suggest:
- 1 test square, at least 10cm by 10cm
- 5-10 pieces roughly A4 size (30cm by 15cm) but you can of course prepare more!
Ideas: Old cotton pillow cases or bedsheets ~ old t-shirt/shirt ~ tea towels ~ handkerchieves ~ fabric scraps ~ yarn ~ socks
!!REMEMBER!! Check the care labels on any garments/bedding you are planning to use to find out the fibre content. Synthetic materials (polyester/nylon) will not dye using this method.
The Dye Dye Stuff
Tumeric Powder
1-2 Tbsp
*
Yellow Onion Skins
6-10 Onions
*
Tea Leaves :
Black3-4 Tbsp or 10-15 teabags
*
Tea Leaves : Redbush/ Rooibos
**
Avocado Stones
4-6 stones
Fixatives - for pre-dyeing preparation
Salt ~ Vinegar
What to do in advance of the workshop?
1. Wash your fabric! Run your fabric through a quick wash to get rid of any dust or dirt and remove any surface treatments. You can either do this by hand in a bowl with washing up liquid or put them in with a load of washing in the machine.
2. Fixative preparation: to better allow the dye to penetrate the fabric it’s best to soak it overnight in a bucket of water.
- If you are using plant fibres (e.g. cotton, linen) add roughly 1 part Salt to 5 parts water.
- If you are using animal fibres (e.g. wool, silk) add roughly 1 part Vinegar to 5 parts
water.
**Keep the salt water as this can be added straight to the dye bath!**
Equipment needed for your Natural Dye & Shibori techniques workshop
- Saucepan or pot big enough to fit the fabric you are dying in.
- Stovetop Hob
- Kitchen tongs (to lift your fabric out of the saucepan, you can always improvise with chopsticks if you don’t have these)
- Newspaper, kitchen towel or some plastic bags to lay out your fabric to dry on
- Access to water to rinse out your fabric after dyeing.
- Elastic bands ~ string ~ pegs ~ bulldog clips (or something else inventive to secure fabric)
- **Optional: Buttons ~ marbles ~ other small objects to trap inside to create a pattern