Natural Dyes

Gather flowers and leaves to create hand-dyed textiles with natural pigments in this hands-on, beginner-friendly workshop.
About this Event

From rich black walnut browns to the soft prints left behind by steam-dyed flowers, nature offers color, texture, and beauty in unexpected places. This beginner-friendly workshop invites you to explore how natural dyes can weave together creativity, sustainable craft, and closer relationships with the native plants and materials around you.

Guided by Dani Ekstrand, you’ll explore approachable natural dye practices in a welcoming outdoor setting while experimenting with botanical color and creative process. Along the way, you’ll build confidence working with plant-based materials, connect with others through shared discovery, and leave inspired to continue experimenting with natural dyes in your own creative practice.

YOU'LL EXPERIENCE:

• Natural Dyeing Techniques: Learn about different methods for extracting color from flowers, berries, bark, and other native plant materials.
• Take-Home Textile Art: Put concepts into practice by creating hand-dyed fabric pieces using flowers you forage and bundle into colorful compositions for steam dyeing.
• Connection to Place & Practice: Grow your appreciation for local plants, seasonal rhythms, and sustainable craft practices through hands-on creative exploration, and leave with a comprehensive resource packet and community contact for support as you continue your natural dye journey.

ABOUT YOUR FACILITATOR

Dani Ekstrand (they/them) is an Environmental Educator at Oxbow, where they guide youth to explore the interconnecting relationships between land, food, native plants, and the wider natural world. With a background in sustainable development, farming, and education, they are passionate about connecting people to the land through hands-on experiences. Dani also enjoys experimenting with natural dyes, and is excited to share this creative, nature-based craft in this workshop.

GRANT-SUPPORTED PRICING

We’re excited to offer this workshop at just $5, thanks to generous funding from 4Culture’s Doors Open grant! This experience is valued at $75, but the grant helps us make it accessible to more of our community.

We’re deeply grateful for this support, which allows us to connect more people with outdoor learning experiences.

All participants must register in advance—spaces are limited!