Foundation Course in Natural Dyes

Exploring natural colors is one of the most enjoyable things since there are so many options when we gather natural ingredients and discover their secrets. It's all too simple to feel completely overwhelmed. But there is a system to the world of natural colors that will help you comprehend it and feel confident using the practice.

In this online workshop, we'll go through a number of experiments to make a dye-brary of colors using various mordants and natural dyes. Each swatch sample will serve as an illustration of how a specific dye expresses itself when used with various mordants. You will become more conscious of how the fabric and the mordant affect the color as we dye and record each step. You will also develop your own unique color palette based on natural dyes.

The session is also based on our concern for the environment and the effects of climate change. We'll focus on utilizing as little water and energy as possible to produce stunning color. We'll talk about conserving dye baths for future use, making pigments, and reusing mordant and dye baths.

Join us for a two-part live, online Zoom workshop: Part 1 will be in January and Part 2 will be in February. You will receive a thorough materials supply kit with your registration. It will have every mordant, dye component, accessory, and cloth you'll need to make a ton of samples. To mount your samples and record your observations, we also supply a robust notebook with sample templates.

Some pre-work instructions for this workshop will be provided to you along with your materials bundle.

If you come prepared and follow along at home with Porscha as she walks you through the steps, you will get the most out of the class. You are invited to watch if you think the pace is too rapid and then finish your job when you have time. On that same day, we will both talk online and upload a tape of the Zoom workshop. For a whole year, you can still review it.

Upon registering, we will email you a complete materials list. All levels are welcome.

Part 1

Saturday and Sunday

10 a.m. to 3:30 pm Central Time

How to properly prepare fabric for natural dyeing will be covered in Part 1 of this article. We see that these methods are frequently disregarded. They are, nevertheless, among the most crucial processes in ensuring that your colors attain their full potential in the dye pot. The fundamentals of scouring, mordanting, and the preparation of all four of our standard mordants—aluminum sulfate, aluminum acetate, aluminum triformate, and symplocos—will be covered in the first part of our workshop. The next step is immersion dying using natural and foraged dyes.

Part 2: Using color blending and modifiers to broaden the palette

Saturday and Sunday

10 a.m. to 3:30 pm Central Time

In Part 2, we'll broaden our range of colors using natural dye extracts that are simple to work with and enable the creation of complex color narratives. We will show you how to compute your own bespoke colors using a simple ratio and the astonishing color effects. Additionally, we will investigate several conventional color modifiers and minerals to produce extra striking hues that change in the dye pot. Before we end this session, you will have the chance to ask questions and have time to begin arranging your dyebrary notebook.

Your notebook will be loaded with lovely color swatches and recipes by the end of our two-part class. Moreover, you can incorporate printable documentation into your color dye-brary.

Please email us at hi@porschahill.com for any questions about our workshop.