natural dye Archives - Page 3 of 8

blue and white fabric dyed with radiating white circles

How To Make 3 Easy Shibori Resists

These three, easy shibori techniques work best with indigo, but can be used with other natural dyes as well. With all three techniques, before you begin, prepare your workspace for a messy process. Cover the surface you plan to work on with something you don’t mind getting wet and dirty and wear an apron and gloves. The Scrunch Dye your fabric in your dye of choice! After dyeing, rinse the bundle gently. Then remove the rubber bands and open up the fabric bundle. Rinse again until the water runs clear. Air dry away from direct sunlight. The Honeycomb Dampen your … Read more

Video From FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Beam Paints

Last week on FEEDBACK FRIDAY, we had Anong Beam of Beam Paints. Anong says her business is the result of a multi-generational love of pigment, paint, color, and innovation. “I was raised by my artist parents, Carl Beam and Ann Beam, and was taught from a young age how to harvest hematite pigment in the LaCloche mountain range near our home in M’Chigeeng First Nation on Manitoulin Island.” Beam Paints draws on Anong’s early education in Indigenous pigment and expands it to encompass all paint traditions. She talked about the progression of her craft, her love of color, and more. … Read more

FEEDBACK FRIDAY Video: Textile Artist Tenzin Tsomo

On our last FEEDBACK FRIDAY we welcomed Tenzin Tsomo, a textile artist and designer based in Seattle, Washington. Her presentation looked at key moments in the history of Tibetan rug weaving in Nepal, from a coveted skill kept within families in Tibet to the dissemination of that indigenous craft knowledge to Tibetan refugees and local Nepali artisans of recent. While weaving has transformed the lives and economy of many communities, the technique itself has been diluted down in the last couple of decades to cater to the ruthless demands of capitalism. Watch the video recording below. About Tenzin Tsomo:Tenzin launched … Read more

How To: The Mason Jar Method for Solar Dyeing

We’ve put together this easy Mason jar method for solar dyeing! Use these tips all summer long for a fun, energy and water-saving way to create color! The jars featured here are filled with our fruitwood chips (apple, cherry and peach) and on sale until next week! Equipment and ingredients for the Mason jar method for solar dyeing: -1 wide-mouth, 32 ounce (1 quart) glass Mason Jar with lid. You can also use any heat-resistant large glass jar. If your fiber doesn’t fit easily into the jar, you can use a wide mouth 64 ounce (2 quart) jar or larger … Read more

Video From LIVE FEEDBACK FRIDAY: The Color Association of the U.S. (+ Aboubakar Fofana Trunk Show!)

Last week, we had The Color Association of the U.S. (CAUS) plus an Aboubakar Fofana trunk show! Leslie Harrington, Executive Director of CAUS and Tess Murdoch, Senior Trend Analyst gave us some background history on CAUS and talked about how forecasting is changing and also, how they just launched their very first natural dye collection with Botanical Colors as part of the 2022/2023 color forecast! We also get some usually members-only access to some of their exciting historical colors spanning over 100 years. If you are interested in having access to the CAUS site, that includes access to the CAUS … Read more

Video From LIVE FEEDBACK FRIDAY: The Botanical Reclamation Project

Today, June 18th, we had such a special FEEDBACK FRIDAY treat with Guelph, Ontario based artist Anita Cazzola. Anita not only played banjo and sang our FEEDBACK FRIDAY theme song with her partner Sam, we got to hear her talk about her Botanical Reclamation project. Anita just launched her project which celebrates the resiliency of wild plants through naturally dyed textiles. The project also offers the community a chance to learn about local plant life, and the natural dye process through self-guided walks, weekly scavenger hunts, project livestreams, workshops, question and answer sessions, and artist talks with the help of … Read more

Video From LIVE FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Weaving Hand

This week’s FEEDBACK FRIDAY was with Weaving Hand Founder, Cynthia Alberto. An artist, designer, and founder of the Brooklyn-based Weaving and Healing arts studio Weaving Hand, Cynthia Alberto seeks to bridge traditional and contemporary weaving techniques, drawing inspiration from ancient communities of Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Africa. Her artwork, performances, and public weaving projects honor traditional and artisanal techniques while also incorporating unconventional materials and a zero-waste philosophy. Throughout her artwork and teaching, Alberto continuously explores the many intersections between weaving and healing, as well as craft and sustainability. Watch the video here. NEXT WEEK: Join us June 18th, … Read more

Construction Techniques with Aboubakar Fofana: Create a Pair of Stripcloth Trousers

Video From LIVE FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Indigo Master Dyer Aboubakar Fofana

This week’s FEEDBACK FRIDAY was with indigo master dyer and multidisciplinary artist Aboubakar Fofana. Aboubakar is based in Mali and France and updated us on his latest projects including cotton cultivation in Mali. He also talked about his indigo farm, exhibits and the workshops he is teaching with Botanical Colors this spring and summer. Watch the video recording here: Shop the Finimugu (Malian Strip Cloth) Aboubakar talked about and showed us beautiful images of here. If you don’t know indigo master dyer Aboubakar Fofana, he is a multidisciplinary artist and designer whose working mediums include calligraphy, textiles and natural dyes. … Read more

Video From LIVE FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Melanie Falick

Video From LIVE FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Madder Experiments w/Jamie Bourgeois & Madeleine McGarrity

This week, we’ve got video from our live FEEDBACK FRIDAY featuring Jamie Bourgeois & Madeleine McGarrity talking madder and water quality. This particular FEEDBACK FRIDAY puts a spotlight on our community and the work they are doing regarding pollution and water quality. Watch the video recording here: The discussion focused on the duos investigations into water quality using natural dye processes. Both have used madder from Rubia tinctorum to better understand the composition of a selection of water sources. Jamie concentrates on the possible presence of toxic contaminants taken from Louisiana’s Cancer Alley, a 150-mile stretch of the Mississippi River … Read more