Natural Dye and printmaking course

Discover the alchemy of naturally dyed silk, modifers and pattern

This three part course has been developed by textile artists Michelle Ault and Becca Smith.

The first session will introduce you to world of the historic pattern books and how natural dyes, used up until the mid-late 19th Century in the British Textile Industry, create the glowing hues you can find in the pattern swatches of silk from Macclesfield's silk weavers, dyers and printers. You will take part in practical demonstrations and dye strips of silk using madder, safflower, logwood and other plants.

The second session will reveal the alchemy of modifiers, chemicals which change the colour of the dyed silk. You will be able to experiment with lino block printing and free-hand painting with these modifers to create perfectly harmonsied patterns.

The final session will include adding elements of stitch with naturally dyed threads and presenting your pattern silk pieces in the form of a pattern book. This session is guided exploration and self expression, discovering your own colour stories.