Thursday, October 10 (2 pm) – Sunday, October 13 (noon)
Join us on the farm for this immersive dye retreat, where we will harvest color and focus on botanical and natural dyes! Capturing a moment in time with what we gather and create. We will be exploring wild dyes from the landscape, playing with patterns from flowers from the garden, learning the different methods for root and bark dyeing, and working with a range of plant and protein fibers (cotton, linen, wool, silk) to see how the dye is absorbed and the colors range between fibers. Students will have their hands in the entire process, starting with how to scour and use mordants on fibers to prepare them for the dye baths. Sourcing leaves and flowers from the garden, going on foraging walks in the wild, and getting materials from the kitchen (a great way to use food waste). Playing with time as we experiment with overnight baths and ratios. Playing with patterns and layering methods as we examine different techniques. As well as learning how to swing colors by using modifiers and how to set the colors at the end of each project. This workshop is for both beginners and experienced natural dyers and will give a wide range of methods.
Students will be dyeing skeins of wool yarn, sets of cotton kitchen towels and napkins, floral patterned socks, and constructing a provencal-style linen apron. We will also create custom journals, use the botanical materials after dyeing to make wrapping paper and cards, and keep a record of everything with fiber swatches of each color.
When we aren’t preparing dye baths or with our hands in a project, there will be time on the farm to arrange flowers, feed the goats, read on the porch, or help in the kitchen if you want to lend a hand. Please bring something to darn, an embroidery project, or your current knitting project for the knitting hour!
All meals will be provided from the farm kitchen using the bounty of the harvest and local ingredients.
Thursday, October 10 (2 pm) – Sunday, October 13 (noon). Lodging is included in the farm’s clubhouse. You can also bring your camper van to set up in the fields or sleep in the bell tent if you wish to sleep under the stars. There are four shared bathrooms with showers.
$1475 Tuition includes lodging, meals, course instruction, and all-class materials.
Application (Opens In Google Docs)