#diaryofafarmvirgin
musings of a returning-generation farmer
Making Space for Color: Spring for Natural Dye Wksp
Each spring, there’s a moment when the dye garden shifts from planning to possibility. Beds are awakend, plants emerge refreshed and renewed, and the question becomes less about what to grow and more about how we want to gather around it.
This May, we’re making space (both literally and figuratively) for color, cloth, and shared practice. Our Natural Dye Workshops are an extention of my personal journey of tending fiber animals, cultivating dye plants, and the returning again and again to the simple truth that color can be captured with our hands, not just our eyes.
The day will be designed as a kind of maker space on the farm: a place to slow down, ask questions, experiment, and build confidence working with natural dyes in ways that are accessible and repeatable at home.While there are almost as many techniques to naturally dye fibers as there are human beings, we will move through some common fundamentals, from preparing fibers to building dye baths, working with plants, and finishing pieces that reflect intention, beauty, and care.
This exhauted pot of coreopsis had enough life left in it to tint the clouds.
What We’ll Explore Together
Participants will be introduced to core natural dye methods, including:
- scouring
- mordanting
- immersion dyeing
- and finishing
Depending on the group and materials available, some steps may be consolidated so we can spend more time observing, adjusting, and learning by doing. Indigo will be part of the day, alongside other seasonal dye materials, with attention to both technique and care.
This workshop is well suited for fiber artists, textile makers, gardeners curious about dye plants, and anyone interested in understanding the abundance of natural color that surrounds us.
No prior dye experience is required—just curiosity and a willingness to get a little messy. Please note, indigo vatting will not be included in this particular experience.
Our Why…
Natural dyeing has always been about more than pigment. It’s a way of paying attention to land, to season, to materials, and to each other. Making space for this work feels especially important right now as more makers look for practices that are grounded, regenerative, and rooted in place.
We see this workshop as both a learning opportunity and a shared pause, a chance to work with color while reflecting on the ecological and cultural systems that bring community together.
kcameron
Steward . Cultivator . Shepherdess
Join me on my peri-urban farming journey as I rediscover forgotten connections to the land and each other, all while exploring and chronicling the intersections of Black Agrarian Arts and lifeways.
Spring for Natural Dye Workshop
Saturday, May 16 | 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Registration will open soon. You’re welcome to add the date to your calendar now or sign up to be notified when registration becomes available. No commitment. We’ll send details when registration is ready.
Notify Me!
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