Spend a winter weekend generating golden hues with natural dyes. We will explore plant materials from garden and field, how to extract the dye and how to create our own dye pot. Yes, it's February, and nothing is blooming right now, so, just how are we going to do this? Many dye plants can be frozen or dried, and these are what we will use. We will also use some extracts made from dyes to which we don't have access, such as Fustic and Quebracho Yellow. This class will cover some of the long history of natural dyes, the color possibilities they offer, mordanting techniques, extraction process, dyeing methods, and some color theory. With so many dye plants readily available, and most of them giving a variety of yellows, this class will concentrate not only on these yellows, but on the variety of greens and oranges which can be produced by over-dyeing with madder and indigo. Students will take home many samples, instructions, and knowledge of how to dye from nature on their own. Students who are interested may register for just one day of this course for a reduced tuition rate—call for details.

You will need the following tools for this class:

 apron, rubber gloves, several old towels, paper towels, plastic baggies, calculator, pen and paper.

Feel free to bring your favorite tools and whatever materials you might feel appropriate for this course.