Botanical Printing - Dye beautiful fabrics with plants!

What you will learn:

In this workshop you will use a range of readily available leaves and plants to create fabulous prints on fabrics. You will learn how to find the best plants for printing, explore different ways to create prints, sampling and experimenting on cotton fabric. Using your samples for ideas and inspiration you will apply your new-found knowledge to print a beautiful silk scarf to take home.

What you will learn on the day:

• Explore the fascinating process of botanical printing
• How to source substainably good leaves and plants from your garden and hedgerow.
• What are tannins and the role they play in botanical printing
• Choosing and using mordants (fixers)
• Using colour modifiers to extend the range of your prints.
• How to prepare your fabrics for printing
• Fixing and finishing your prints
• Debbie will share lots of handy ideas and tips to ensure you get great results!

After the workshop, you will take home a lovely, one-of-a-kind scarf and a selection of printed fabric samples. You will have the confidence to take your experiments further at home, including how to set up for printing and how to select and preserve plants for printing.

What's included:

All materials are included - we provide quality materials - lovely yarn, dyeing instructions and a selection of Debbie's own, exclusive patterns. We also include tea, coffee and biccies!

Course level:

This course is suitable for complete beginners. For those who have done some natural dyeing previously, there is plenty to explore too!

About your tutor:

Debbie has been a hand-dyer for over 30 years. She has worked with yarn companies, hand-dyeing yarns for commercial collections. She also ran successful yarn and fibre dye clubs for a number of years.

Debbie teaches dyeing and printing with both synthetic and natural dyes, including indigo and woad vat dyeing. She works with yarn, fabric and fibres.

Debbie is the author of 5 internationally published books, Hand-Dyed Yarn Craft Projects, Complete Knitting Skills, 250 Knitting Stitches, Knitting.Learn it.Love it and How to Knit.

When she’s not dyeing, designing, knitting or crocheting, you’ll find her in the garden, tending her dyeplants, enjoying a nice craft beer or hugging a big mug of builders’ tea. And if you’re out and about, she can often be found in the mosh pit at a gig or enjoying some folk music!

Any questions?

If you need any information about this course, please don’t hesitate to get in touch by email (info@dtcrafts.co.uk).