Indigo Dyeing colouring with blue

Join me for an immersive Indigo Dyeing workshop, perfect for beginners and those looking to refresh their skills. Over the course of the day, you’ll uncover the ancient magic of indigo and its historic Scottish equivalent, woad — exploring their fascinating history and cultural significance. You’ll create your own indigo dye vat using the 1-2-3 fructose method, which you’ll take home to continue your experiments. Learn how to prepare fabrics and papers for dyeing, and master the key technique of excluding oxygen, which is crucial for achieving the perfect indigo blue.
You’ll also be introduced to the art of shibori — a Japanese resist dyeing method that includes folding, tying, and stitching to create beautiful patterns. Indigo’s versatility allows it to be used on recycled fabrics, giving new life to old textiles without the need for mordants. We will experiment with resist printing.
By the end of the day, you’ll leave with a working indigo vat to further experiment with at home, along with a collection of dyed fabric and paper samples.
You’ll also have a deeper understanding of the historical significance of indigo and woad, and be inspired to grow your own dye plants in your garden.
A wide selection of fabrics and papers will be provided, but you’re welcome to bring along your own small, well-scoured pieces to add a personal touch to your creations.
What to bring
All materials will be provided for your Indigo Dyeing workshop but I suggest bringing your own apron
You’re welcome to bring along your own small pieces of fabric but these need to be thoroughly cleaned beforehand to remove any oil or dirt.
Tea and coffee are provided but participants should bring their own lunch. Refreshments available throughout the day.
Limited spaces - please email me for to book or ask any questions