Dyeing Blue with Woad

Take a deep dive into creating your own botanical blue dyes! In this workshop we learn to coax an indigo dye from a humble invasive species - Woad! This extremely common plant is often maligned- but don't be fooled! Woad is not only a delicious edible and potent medicine, but it can also create the rarest of blue dyes. This shade of aqua is deeply seasonal, and can only be achieved when the Woad is fresh.

In the first part of this class, we'll sample Woad foods and medicines while we learn about the ancient and storied history of this fascinating plant. Then we'll harvest fresh Woad leaves and create blue dye using only the leaves and salt. Finally we'll use a refined pigment to watch deeper colors bloom beneath our hands. It is truly a magical process!

Students will leave this class with a hand dyed cloth, knowledge of how to create their own indigo dyes, and a deep appreciation of this extraordinary plant.

This workshop takes place at Rhythm Seed and include snacks made from wild Woad, written materials and a farm tour.

What to bring:

• Water
• Lunch/Snacks
• Camp chair
• Large jar
• Notebook & pen (if you like to take notes)

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Host or Publisher Wildwood Folk School