Double Trouble Tannin Workshop Bundle: Video Recordings of Tannin Rainbow and Twilight Tannins!

Description

Double Trouble Tannin Workshop Bundle:

Video Recordings of Tannin Rainbow and Twilight Tannins!

Save $55 when you purchase the bundle

Gain access to two of our bestselling tannin workshops and save!  Using our tannin mordanted fat quarters as a starting point, you will learn how to create harmonious tannin rainbows (Tannin Rainbow workshop) and moody, urban neutrals (Twilight Tannins workshop).  Two different approaches that will expand your natural dye palette and provide the information to create your own signature shades on cellulose fabrics. These are recorded videos of the workshops that Cara and I taught in March 2025.

Video Recording of Tannin Rainbow

Online workshop with Kathy Hattori

&

Video Recording of Twilight Tannins

Online workshop with Cara Piazza

Tannin Rainbow

Learn how to create striking color gradations using our pre-mordanted cotton fabric fat quarters, natural dyes, indigo and a few surprises.  Our exploration will reveal 32 beautiful and harmonious colors using three dyes, an indigo vat, and a touch of iron powder.

In this workshop, I’ll demonstrate how to create beautiful color gradations using our pre-mordanted fat quarter blanks.  These fabric packs come with 4 fat quarters (each approx. 18×22 inches), and each quarter is treated with a different tannin. We’ll learn how to work with each tannin base shade, how to combine it with other dyes, modifiers and indigo to make a stunning gradation for stitching, quilting, appliqué and other uses.

I will explain how to create unusual color combinations with full instructions for each tannin base.  Detailed notes will serve as the inspiration for creating your own signature shades.  With 4 different tannin options, the color possibilities are endless!

Each participant will receive PDFs of how-to along with hints and tips and the link to view the videos to follow along.

Materials Needed to create the recipes in this workshop

• 1 pack Tannin fat quarters from Botanical Colors.
• 25 grams madder extract powder
• 25 grams marigold mix extract powder
• 50 grams fustic extract powder
• 1 indigo vat (medium strength)
• 10 grams of iron powder
• 10 grams soda ash

Equipment needed

• Dye pot – approximately 4-6 liters (4-6 quarts)
• Heat source
• Digital scale that measures in grams
• Stir spoon for the dye pot
• Teaspoons to measure dyes
• Access to cold water and a sink to rinse fabrics and indigo (a bucket of water is fine, too)
• A teapot for boiling water (to dissolve dyes)
• small cups, jars or beakers to dissolve the dyes (225 ml or 8 ounce size is good)
• Drying rack and clothespins
• Dropcloth, towels or rags for spills
• Scissors
• Permanent marker, needle and thread
• Blue Tape or Tyvek to make “waterproof” fabric labels.  If you have your own labeling system, feel free to use that as well.

Twilight Tannins 

The backstory:

Cara is famous for her moody, New York state of mind color palettes, and the tannin mordanted fat quarters are perfect for showing off these rich shades with subtle colorations and unusual hues.  We called her workshop “Tannin Grayscale” as a nod to graphic designers who will add a touch of gray to a color in order to create a more vivid hue.  However, now that we’ve seen the results of her workshop, we feel that calling her class “Twilight Tannins” more accurately describes the color ranges that she gets.  They resemble the cool darkness that descends once the sun has gone down but before it’s actually dark.  So it’s essentially the same workshop with a new name!

Workshop description

Learn how to create moody gray gradations and darker color palettes using our pre-mordanted cotton fabric fat quarters, natural dyes, logwood and a few surprises.

Tannins are a bitter and astringent compound found so abundantly in many plants.  In food, they serve as the slight pucker in black coffee and tea, and the “oaky” flavor in aged wines. Tannins are used in medicine and for leather tanning.  For us, they are the natural dyer’s not-so-secret-weapon to beautiful color. For the natural colorist, tannins provide a rich base for unusual and eye-catching combinations, and they’re particularly effective on plant fibers such as cotton and linen.

In this workshop, Cara will demonstrate how to create a gorgeous gray and “saddened” and moodier color gradations using our pre-mordanted fat quarter blanks.  These fabric packs come with 4 fat quarters (each approx. 18×22 inches), and each quarter is treated with a different tannin. We’ll learn how to work with each tannin base shade, how to combine it with other dyes, modifiers and indigo to make a stunning gradation for stitching, quilting, appliqué and other uses.

She will explain how to create unusual color combinations with full instructions for each tannin base.  Detailed notes will serve as the inspiration for creating your own signature shades.  With 4 different tannin options, the color possibilities are endless, and you can apply this technique to other tannins we carry.

Each participant will receive a PDF of how-to along with hints and tips.  In addition, all participants will receive the link to view the video to follow along. Your vimeo link is in your PDF.

Materials needed to create the recipes in this workshop

• 1 pack Tannin fat quarters from Botanical Colors
• 1 4oz bottle of liquid logwood
• 25 grams marigold mix powder
• 25 grams madder extract powder
• 1 indigo vat (medium strength)
• 100g of ferrous sulfate (iron powder)

FAQ

Can I supply my own fabric and will you show us how to mordant?

• Yes.  You will receive mordant instructions during the workshop.  If you are already familiar with mordanting using tannin-alum, we used the following tannins: oak gall, sumac, cutch and quebracho and you can prepare your fabrics beforehand.  All tannins were used at 10% wof.

Can I dye other fibers, including yarn with this method?

• Yes.  Other fibers such as linen, hemp, bamboo, and other cellulose blends should work well with these techniques.  We have not done much testing on silk and wool, but it is worth a try to see what results you get.

How long do I have to view the video?

• You will have access to view the video until October 31, 2025.