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Natural Dyeing with Ilka White
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Plants have been used to dye fibre and fabric for thousands of years and a beautiful natural palette is still available to you without the need for harmful chemicals. Local weeds or kitchen off-cuts can offer harmonious hues in a range of values and intensity. This hands-on workshop introduces a selection of local colour possibilities, as well as discussing fibre types, mordanting options and safety of dyes. Shibori techniques will also be used to produce patterned cloth. Come and discover some of nature’s hidden sources of colour!
Please bring to the class:
1. A Bucket
2. Large sealable jars / containers to take dye home in.
3. Notebook and pencil
4. Your lunch, snacks to sustain you and a water bottle.
5. Optional: As many Avocado pips, Sourgrass flowers (yellow oxalis) and Onion skins as you can collect
(separate red from brown).
Ilka will bring Fabric samples and other dyestuffs.
*Wear old, casual clothes you wouldn't mind splashing.
Trainer Bio:
Ilka White is an artist, designer and maker of textiles. Her work often responds to the forces at play within the natural world and reflects the principals of sustainability. She is a great believer in the ability of beauty and creativity to lift the spirit. An experienced teacher, Ilka's popular classes also reflect her love of the handmade, and her contemporary use of traditional making methods.
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- Natural dyes to use
- Colour possibilities
- Dyeing techniques
- Notes and dyes to take home
- Rubber gloves and a bucket
- Scissors, note pad and pen
- Lunch, water bottle and snacks to sustain you
- Large sealable jars / container to take home dyes
- As many Avocado pips, onion skins as you can collect (separate red from brown).
Old clothing or an apron
Those interested in using nature to add colour
08 February 2019 • Natural Dyeing with Ilka White
Ilka White shared so much of her knowledge and experience with the group. Her calm way of being and authenticity was refreshing. Thoroughly enjoyed this Natural Dyeing course.
06 February 2019 • Natural Dyeing with Ilka White
Great class with a very talented and dedicated teacher.
03 December 2018 • Natural Dyeing with Ilka White
I attended the Natural Dye Workshop with Ilka at CERES, it was amazing to see all these colours in the fabric coming out from boiling plants! Ilka was always answering our multiple questions about this and that. The course is a nice introduction to Dye and lets you do the basic stuff, but the topic is very vast and there is much more research I need to do to make more colors with other plants! It opened a new whole world to me! I particularly liked the environmental-friendly focus of this workshop and learning how to recycle/reuse/dispose the dyeing elements. If I missed something is that we had a little introduction about the participants to have an idea of our motivation to attend the workshop, I believe we all had interesting stories to tell! Overall highly recommended to attend the course. If you do, bring at least 10 glass jars to bring some dye bath back home!!