Take your fiber arts in a new direction by creating your own hand-dyed fabrics. This two-day workshop, with an optional third open studio day, will focus on low-water immersion dyeing, color theory, and bound resist (shibori) techniques. Gradations in color and value, visual texture, and creating neutrals with complementary colors will be explored. Students will come away with a good start on a personal dye reference book, written instructions and recipes, samples, and yards of their own hand-dyed fabrics.

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Day One (Saturday) of the workshop will include an introduction of using fiber reactive dyes, low-water immersion dyeing, and color theory for dyers. We will dye samples including:

• two color wheels exploring “warm” and “cool” colors
• dye gradations between complements
• value gradations

We will use the rest of day one to explore shibori (bound resist) techniques

detail of a fat quarter

Day Two (Sunday) will start with a discussion of color theory looking at the previous day’s samples and the importance of keeping a personal dye reference notebook. We will discuss over-dyeing to add layers of color. Students will use the rest of the day for further exploration of shibori and low-water immersion dyeing.

Optional Open Studio Day (Monday) will start with sharing of student work and be followed by open studio to further explore techniques before the final clean up and wrap up.

Students will take home dyed fabrics to wash out at the end of each workshop day. Access to a washer and dryer is highly recommended.

Throughout the workshop, Cameron will be provide written instructions, demonstrate techniques, show samples, and answer questions. Workshops in the studio allow access to Cameron’s extensive fiber arts library. The studio is located in the historic industrial Ballard neighborhood, near coffee shops, restaurants, and Trader Joe’s.

Instructor will supply:

• all dyes and chemicals
• fabric for Day One color samples
• written materials with recipes and instructions

Student will need to bring:

• Pen and paper
• Sharpie permanent marker
• Reusable dishwashing type gloves
• Dust mask
• Masking tape
• Scissors
• Buckets or plastic bins for transporting wet fabric home for washout
• Apron or work clothes
• A minimum of 3 yards of prewashed white 100% cotton fabric*

*About Fabric

Any 100% cotton or other cellulose fabric (linen, hemp, rayon) will work for this workshop. Feel free to bring your favorites but realize that different blends and weaves will react differently to the dyes. Please pre-wash for best results.

Do not bring wool or polyester fabrics. A good source for PFD (prepared for dyeing) fabrics is Dharma Trading Company.

The minimum yardage is a guideline, you know yourself and your habits in workshops. Some students will barely use the minimum and others will use much more. You will need more fabric if you register for the Optional Studio Day. Bring fabrics amounts accordingly.