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Natural Dyeing:
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![]() Natural Dyeing |
Natural Colors to Dye For (3 hours to 3 days) Create a spectrum of color on wool yarn or silk fabric with dyes from plants, minerals, and an insect. We will use traditional dye materials such as madder, Brazilwood, indigo and cochineal. We will also explore dyeing with fresh wild plants. With more time, we can dye more colors. The mordants that fix the dyes to the fiber (alum, tannin, and iron) are safe to use and give a wide range of fast and beautiful colors. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, and a beautiful black are all possible with natural dyes. |
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![]() Indigo Workshop |
Indigo: How Can You Resist? (Three hours to 3 days) In this workshop we will explore the natural blue dye indigofera tinctoria and its uses in resist dyeing. Learn how to prepare an indigo vat, and experience the magical indigo dye process, watching fibers change from green to blue in your hands! If we have two or three days for this workshop we will fold, tie, stitch, clamp, and dye cloth for traditional Japanese shibori, and gather handwoven fabrics for woven shibori. We can also dye yarns to create patterned skeins and warps for ikat weaving. Learn how to use indigo in combination with other natural dyes for overdye and discharge effects. |
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![]() Silk Painting with Natural Dye Extracts |
Silk Painting with Natural Dye Extracts (1 1/2 to 2 hours) Handpaint a silk scarf with colors from plants, minerals, and an insect! Cure the dyes with fresh air and sunshine. This class is an enjoyable introduction to natural dyes, perfect for all ages and levels of experience. |
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![]() Silk Painting and Stamping with Natural Dye Extracts |
Silk Painting and Stamping with Natural Dye Extracts (3 or more hours) Have fun playing with color! This is the same as the above workshop with the addition of a natural dyed silk scarf to embellish with stamps. Learn how natural dyes can be thickened for use in a variety of surface design techniques. |
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Portable Loom Weaving:
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![]() Weaving on an Inkle Loom |
Weaving on an Inkle Loom (3 or more hours) An inkle loom is a simple, easy to use loom for making bands and straps. Choose your favorite colors in shiny cottons, set up the loom and weave a beautiful belt. Learn to create patterning by varying the color order of the yarns. |
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![]() Weaving a Mixed Warp Scarf on the Rigid Heddle Loom |
Weaving a Mixed Warp Scarf on the Rigid Heddle Loom (6 hours) Weaving on a rigid heddle loom is fast and easy. Learn to weave and create a beautiful scarf in just one day! The mixed warp technique is a great way to use up leftover yarns and creates a colorful and interesting textile. Choose from a selection of fun novelty yarns and smooth yarns in different colors and fibers. Set up the loom using the direct warping method, then weave! Finish the scarf with a knotted or plied fringe. |
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Weaving/Dyeing:
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![]() Ikat Weaving |
Ikat Weaving (3 or more days) Tie and dye yarns, design with color and stripes, and weave a lovely textile inspired by the fabrics of Guatemala! Choose to create a shawl, scarf or runner in a twill or plain weave. Design your own colorway in shiny cottons. Warps can be created and dyed in this class and woven at home. If students bring looms they can be woven in the workshop. |
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![]() Painted Warp Weaving |
Painted Warp Weaving (2 or more days) Wind cotton warps for a scarf or shawl, then paint them with fiber reactive dyes. Or wind warps for a silk scarf and paint with natural dyes. You will be amazed at the results! Learn how to sett and weave a warp emphasis fabric. Weaving can be done in class or the warps can be taken home to weave. |
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![]() Woven Shibori |
Woven Shibori (3 or more days) Tie and dye your own unique patterned fabrics! Woven shibori fabric has extra threads woven in that are pulled up to gather the fabric before dyeing. Learn to layer different natural dyes to create various color effects. We will explore overdyeing, discharge, resists, and pleating with our fabrics and get fascinating results. Fabrics can be woven prior to the workshop and the workshop will focus on the dyeing processes. |
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Weaving on Floor or Table Looms:
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![]() Beginning Weaving |
Beginning Weaving (5 days) Learn to weave and create a beautiful textile! We will weave a sampler and scarf in wool yarn using plain weave and twills. You will make a warp and dress the loom, try out different yarns and weave structures, and discover how your loom works. You will also learn basic drafting. |
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![]() Overshot Weaving |
Overshot Weaving (3 days) The overshot weave is a favorite of handweavers. Choose a draft and weave complex designs on only four shafts! We can weave round-robin style or create runners and towels with this versatile weave. Learn basic block theory, some different treadling variations and how to create a name draft in overshot. This is for weavers who have already taken Beginning Weaving or who know how to warp a loom. |
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![]() Shadow Weave |
Shadow Weave (3 to 5 days) Alternate colors in the warp and weft to create fascinating designs! Choose your own draft for 4, 6, or 8 shafts. Learn about color-and-weave effects, color combinations and how to decipher shadow weave drafts. Create samples in a round robin, or weave a scarf or runner. |
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![]() From Rags to Rugs |
From Rags to Rugs (3 to 5 days) Rag rugs are fun and easy. You can weave one even if you've never woven before! Choose a simple plain weave rug, or a block design if you are more advanced. This workshop can be done in 3 days with pre-warped looms or as a 5 day beginning weaving class with warping instruction. |
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