Indigo Dyeing and Eco-printing – August 2024 Meeting

Dyeing Day for Guild members and their guests –  Indigo vat, natural dyeing and eco-printing activities. Held in a guild member’s garden. Please Email if you would like to attend.

Last year’s summer dyeing workshop was so popular that we are running it again, but this time in a garden so we can make a mess! It will be an informal day with fabric and fibre dyeing activities, guided by experienced dyers from the guild. For those not wanting to take part, there will be space to sit and spin/craft/chat in the sunshine or shade. Please bring your own mug, chair and lunch.

Workshop led by Alison Jolley, Heather-Joy Garrett and Sarah Rayfield

Cost: TBC

Venue: Please email for address and directions. This event is open to guild members and their guests only, because it is at a member’s property.

Timing:     11.00am – 4.00pm

What to Bring:

– garden or camping chair
– mug for hot or cold drinks
– sunhat and suncream (let’s be optimistic)
– fibre samples for Guild stand at County Show
– Guild Anniversary blend pieces for display at same
– entries for County Show competition
– guild apron to decorate (pre-washed)

If you’re dyeing:
– apron and old clothes
– rubber gloves, not the little disposable ones unless you want blue hands!
– closed in shoes if you are dyeing
– bucket / litter tray, plus something to take wet materials home in

For Indigo Dyeing
– fabric or fibre ready for indigo vat (cellulose fibres should be scoured, yarn should be tied in hanks, fibre in net bags or old tights).
! Max 500g in total per person, but bear in mind darker shades are achieved with multiple dips, so you will have to dye less material for this
– clamps, pegs, string, rubber bands and wooden or acrylic shapes for resists
– old tights and a few stones for weights
– labels  – these could be strips of plastic milk bottle, beads, buttons plus waterproof pen, safety pins and thread

For natural dyeing
– Fabric or fibre prepared for dyeing (cellulose fibres should be scoured, yarn should be tied in hanks, fibre in net bags, silk fibres should be soaked overnight).
– These should be pre-mordanted as appropriate for their fibre content.
– labels as above

For eco-printing
– pre-mordanted fabric as appropriate for fibre content, plus some just scoured
– leaves that you’ve like to try printing with, these can be fresh or dried
– wooden dowel approx 1-2” diameter and 6-10” long
– string

Scouring/Mordanting instructions
Teresinha from Wild Colours has some comprehensive instructions for scouring and mordanting different fibres on her website. Or you can keep it simple by washing cotton in a machine at 60C short cycle with a tea cup full of soda crystals plus extra rinse.

Further Information
Jane Callender, Shibori Artist, wrote an excellent article for The Journal of WSD about the indigo process.  Have a read.