Demonstration and workshop for Textile and Fibre Groups

Process, Composition & Design

This one-day demonstration and workshop is designed for fibre and textile artists and crafters to learn and explore eco printing and natural dyeing design and composition across a range of textile materials.

This demonstration and one day workshop teaches and explores eco printing and natural dyeing techniques, combining them to design and create exciting, unique textiles rich in colour, pattern, density, and depth.

Attendees discover new ways to arrange, layer, and combine botanical elements and natural dyeing processes, opening up fresh possibilities for creating distinctive, original eco printed and naturally dyed textile surfaces.

Led by an experienced eco printer, natural dyer, felter, highly skilled fashion designer and master patternmaker, this workshop brings a designer’s perspective to eco printing and natural dyeing.

Attendees are guided through extensive experimentation to develop a personal sample book to take home. After a morning of exciting experimentation and design demonstrations, attendees will eco print and naturally dye their own textile items, applying what they have explored during the session.

Participants will explore:

• Eco printing silk, linen, wool, felt and nuno felt.
• Pre dyeing and over-dyeing techniques and processes
• Unique dye blanket techniques
• How fibre and textiles influence print clarity
• Bundling and tying techniques for print clarity
• Steaming vs submersion processes 
• Heating times and temperature considerations for clear, well-defined prints
• Moisture content for design details 
• Pattern, layers and density 
• Mordants for natural dyes and eco printing
• Colour modifiers and how they affect results
• Preparing and selecting botanicals for strong prints

Sessions are tailored to suit group size, experience level, time available, and facilities.