Botanical Dyes from the Home Garden

Ecologist and artist Dr. Alison Webb will lead participants in exploring the vibrant world of natural dyes that can be grown in the home garden. During this workshop, participants will learn to create a rainbow of natural colors with plants that can be easily grown in the garden!

Attendees will learn how to prepare textiles and select suitable botanical dyes to achieve vibrant, lasting colors while considering how different fiber types, such as cotton, linen, silk, and wool, influence dye uptake. We will explore extending the natural color palette with modifiers such as iron and indigo.

Each participant will leave with a stack of garden-grown color swatch cards, a hand-dyed textile, and access to written information to replicate these processes at home. A variety of textile projects will be available for selection (i.e., scarves, bandanas, yardage for sewing projects, yarn), and additional textiles can be purchased and dyed during the workshop.

Please wear clothing suitable for working with dyes and take a short walk around the gardens.

More information can be found at ecologyofcolor.

Pricing

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About Your Instructor

Alison Webb is an ecologist, artist, and educator specializing in the use of plant and mushroom dyes and pigments. Alison completed her Ph.D. in Ecology at Utah State University and has traveled extensively for research and teaching. These experiences led her to start her business, Ecology of Color, which offers science- and art-integrated classes to her community. She uses gardening, foraging, and creating with natural materials as an opportunity to highlight ecological relationships and connections.