Classes and Events
2025
In this 3 session class we take our inspiration from katazome, a Japanese printmaking technique using sticky rice paste and hand-cut stencils to create vibrant patterns on cloth. We will discuss the traditional methods of making katazome prints, and present some modern techniques that can be used in a home studio. Students will have the opportunity to create their own simple stencils, use existing stencils, and will be encouraged to experiment with other methods of applying rice paste on cloth. We will go through the process together, meeting three times over the course of three weeks: making our natural indigo vat and discussing the chemistry involved, fabric selection and preparation, preparing a printing surface, rice paste making and application, and post-dye fabric treatment. Students will be provided with cloth to print and dye. This class is suitable for all experience levels.
Tuesday, June 17th, 5:00-7:30 PM
Tuesday, June 24th, 5:00-7:30 PM
Tuesday, July 1st, 5:00-7:30 PM
Indigo Dyeing Day
June 21st, 12-2 pm
at Claremont Makerspace
Join Artist in Residence Berkley Heath for an afternoon of indigo dyeing! She will be demonstrating dyeing in her indigo vat and participants will be able to dye small samples of cotton fabric, and have the opportunity to bring an item from home to dye (note that this material needs to be clean and natural fiber--cotton, linen, wool, etc). Bring an old cotton T-shirt and dye it blue with natural indigo!
Indigo is a dye found in many different species of plants that grow all over the world. Indigo is the only traditional true blue dye, and humans have been using it to dye fiber and cloth various shades of blue for thousands of years (the oldest indigo-dyed fragment is over 6,000 years old and found in Peru). Japanese indigo (Persicaria tinctoria) is the species best-suited to growing in our climate in New England, and Berkley grows hundreds of indigo plants each year right here in Claremont. Come learn more about this fascinating natural color!
Mordant Printing with Natural Dyes
July 12th and 13th, 10am-2pm
at Claremont Makerspace
Mordants are substances, generally metallic salts, that are used in combination with natural dyes to create lasting colors on cloth. Mordants can shift the tone and saturation of natural dyes such that, with the use of different mordant combinations, a wide range of colors can be created on a piece of cloth, and even from a single dye bath! In this class, we will create thickened mordant pastes to paint and print designs on cotton yardage. Inspired by traditional surface design techniques, we will make three dye vats with locally grown and foraged plants (madder, weld, and sumac) to create a wide range of shades and patterns on cloth. We will cover fabric preparation, making a printing surface, simple stamp-making, natural dye chemistry and history, as well as post dyeing fabric care. Students will create a color reference chart on cloth to use in future dyeing endeavors, as well as their own uniquely patterned pieces.
In this introductory workshop, we’ll explore the world of natural dyes using plants from our gardens and foraged from the fields and forests at Dancing Bear Farm. We’ll be working with the two types of natural fibers: cellulose (which includes cotton, linen, hemp, etc) and protein (silk, wool, etc) and covering fiber preparation, mordanting, dyeing, and finishing processes. Participants will make sample cards with different fiber types from each plant dye, learning how to take accurate, detailed notes to inform future projects. Students will also have the chance to dye a cotton bandana their color of choice. Come discover the wide array of natural colors that are easily grown in the garden and foraged from the landscape. We’ll be working with several easily grown and foraged dye plants including staghorn sumac, weld, sulfur cosmos, coreopsis, traditional madder and wild madder, marigolds, and hollyhocks. This workshop is hands-on, come ready to get a little messy in the garden and dye area!
This is a two day workshop. Morning refreshments and lunches will be provided both days.
Participants will learn:
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How to scour protein and cellulose fibers for dyeing
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Mordanting with alum sulfate and alum acetate
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Three main natural dye groups and how to identify their sources (including tannins for tans and browns, flavonoids for yellows and oranges, and anthraquinones for reds, pinks, oranges, and purples)
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Identifying dye materials in the field and garden
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Cultivating and preparing garden-grown and foraged dye plants
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Making a dye vat from fresh and dried plant materials (roots, leaves, and flowers)
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Modifying colors with iron after-bath
Participant fee: $180 plus a $20 materials fee
Overnight camping accomodations are available for $10/tentsite.
Ages 16+
Experience the magic of dyeing with fresh Japanese indigo (Persicaria tinctoria) leaves straight from the garden! While the world of natural dyeing can be quite complex, this method of dyeing is simple and accessible for crafters interested in learning a quick indigo application and gardeners hoping to grow Japanese indigo at home. Students will learn how to achieve a range of green-blue shades from fresh leaves on protein fibers, as well as other traditional methods of extracting color from indigo-bearing plants. We will discuss fabric preparation, the chemistry behind the aqua blues attained, and strategies to preserve these unique hues. We will experiment with various methods of application such as fresh leaf pounding (hapazome) and creating resist patterns with clamps and ties. Everyone will leave with 2 silk bandanas and a wool yarn sample.
$75 workshop registration
$10 materials cost paid day of
Ages 16+
