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ESSENTIAL INFO
If you purchase a ticket for this course, all the information on this page will be emailed to you with your ticket.
👥 Suitable for: Ages 18 and up
📍 Venue: Bellingen High School (mobility aid accessible)
📈 Level: Suitable for all skill levels
⏰ Schedule: Mon–Fri, 9am – 4pm (5 Full-Days)
🏷️ Extra costs: This course has a cost of $50 for materials
Required skills & experience
No experience required
Please note that you will be working with hot liquids
Supplies that will be provided by your tutor
Cost of $50 includes:
Natural dyes, tannins, alum and other additives
Gas cylinders
Dyeing equipment
Two panels of mordanted linen/cotton for use on the first day
Two pieces of watercolour paper, prepared for dyeing
Some natural fibre threads to dye for stitching/embroidery in your work later
NOTE: Supply costs will be collected by the tutor before Camp Creative.
Supplies that you need to bring to class
Please don’t bring synthetic fabrics - they don’t take natural dyes.
Optional - 1 metre wool (woven or jersey)
1-2 metres linen
2-3 metres cotton
Optional -1-2 metres silk of your choice (could be dupion or charmeuse or georgette or wild silk or other)
Blanket material 3 metres minimum (thick fabric like terry towelling or sweatshirting)
Pegs
3 buckets
2 pairs washing up gloves
Painters plastic drop sheet
Roll of Baking Paper (Aldi has a wide one)
Watercolour paper 150gsm or heavier (smooth is best) - Some paper will be provided, if you would like to do more then please bring more
Needle
Reel of sewing thread
String or 2-3 t shirts to cut into string
Notebook
Fabric scissors
Secateurs or rough scissors for plant
Pen
Camera to record layouts
1 packet large heavy duty plastic garbage bags
4 wooden dowels 45cm or less - old wooden broomsticks are good
Foliage from your garden, neighbours, flower market and the bush.
Learning outcomes
Students will learn about the properties in different plants, and how to achieve crisp, clear botanical prints on linen, cotton, silk and wool fabrics.
A basic knowledge of printing on paper will be gained.
The procedure for dyeing fabrics with natural dyes will be understood.
Students will leave with many samples of printed fabric, and an understanding of how individual results were achieved. These can be used for quilting, table runners, or many other things. Examples will be shown.
COURSE PLAN
DAY ONE
Introduction to natural dyes - discussion of samples
Preparation of fabrics for tomorrow’s printing
Essential knowledge before we begin
Creating sample prints using fabrics I have already prepared
Iron/tannin reaction, health and safety issues
Foraging and environmental issues
Recording information
DAY TWO
Finishing fabric prep from yesterday
Looking at yesterday’s samples to understand plant properties
Bundling
Printing
Making a weld dyepot
Tannin blankets
DAY THREE
More printing - different layout techniques
Demonstration of printing a garment
Making a cochineal dye pot
Under/overdyeing
Preparing and printing paper
DAY FOUR
Variations on intensity - more printing
DAY FIVE
Print print print
Discussion on finishing/fabric care
Analysing everyone’s work
Final wrap
Examination and evaluation
COURSE TUTOR
Anne Foy
Since 2017 Anne has combined travel and learning about natural dyeing from leaders in the field.
This has taken her to Spain and twice to Holland. She also attended the World Shibori Symposiums in Mexico and Japan. Anne has also taught several multi-day workshops in natural dyeing and botanical printing.
She works from her home studio in Sydney, where she explores using colours from natural sources to make paints, inks, pastels, and dyes.
“Anne did a great job.. generously sharing her years of experience.”
“This course was a great introduction into a new creative hobby that we can continue to develop our skills at home. Anne is a fabulously generous person with sharing knowledge, resources and useful feedback.”
