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Learn to successfully mordant cellulose and protein fibres. Work with cloth and yarns to achieve vibrant, clear colours using classic natural dyes.
In this workshop students will make over 18 separate dye-baths on a variety of fibre types (including wool, cotton, linen, silk, and hemp/cotton). The results will be shifted with iron and indigo for a complex palette. Exhaust baths will be used and these will also be shifted with a modified indigo vat. Students will receive an introduction to shaped resist and indigo dyeing. Throughout the course students will receive professional instruction from Maiwa founder Charllotte Kwon and her daughter Sophena Kwon.
• 45 evocative instructional videos.
• Work with 11 natural dyes including indigo.
• Build dyepots from 18 recipes, shift colours with iron and overdye with indigo.
• Complete the course with close to 100 different colours ... and a whole new appreciation for the magic of natural dyes.
What do I need for this workshop?
Students may source their own dyes, mordants, cloth and yarns — either locally or from their favourite supplier. Students who already have a well-stocked studio can fill any gaps by purchasing locally or through maiwa.com.
See the Supply List below for full details.
What is the cancellation policy?
Please see our terms of use for our cancellation policy.
See also our Frequently Asked Questions.
How long do I have access?
Students have access to course materials for 3 years from date of purchase. Regular Q&A support is available during the 10 weeks the course runs. We include a robust collection of student questions (and our answers!) for each module of the workshop.
THE NATURAL DYE WORKSHOP
Supply List
Meet Your Instructors
Charllotte and Sophena Kwon. Together they are a dynamic teaching team with decades of natural dye experience and a long history working with artisan dyers.
CHARLLOTTE KWON
Charllotte is the owner of Maiwa Handprints Ltd. and the director of the Maiwa Foundation. Through Maiwa, Charllotte also runs a textile archive and research library located on Granville Island in Vancouver, Canada. Under her direction Maiwa has produced four documentary films and a number of print publications. She also guides Maiwa’s substantial online presence.
Charllotte travels extensively each year to research handcraft, work alongside artisans and master craftspeople, and to supplement her natural dye research. Always looking to extend natural dye use, she also teaches dyeing workshops with artisans around the world and has planned a series of natural dye master classes to bring exceptional artisans together.
SOPHENA KWON
Sophena grew up with Maiwa as the family business. She has learned much from the artisans Maiwa collaborates with (including master dyers in India, Africa, Peru, and Mexico) and from experimenting alongside her mom, Charllotte.
In 2009 Sophena studied with Michel Garcia in France. She has taught natural dye workshops with Charllotte (including at the Penland School of Craft and at Shakerag Workshop U.S.A.), and developed and taught workshops for the Maiwa School of Textiles. In an effort to bring natural dyeing to a new audience, she founded the immensely successful Indigo Social in 2015. In 2016 Sophena was invited to present at the Mood Indigo Exhibition at the Seattle Art Museum. In addition to her natural dye work, Sophena is a skilled photographer and is the lead designer behind Maiwa’s clothing collections.
WATER, pH, SCOURING
Understand the role your water plays in dyeing, what pH is and how it effects dyeing and how good scouring will set you on the path to great colour.
THE MORDANT PROCESS
Learn simple effective mordanting techniques for both cellulose and protein fibres. Understand how mordants work and why we use them.
YARN & FABRIC DYEING
Working with your materials in a dyepot. How to manage fabrics and yarns. Mistakes to avoid. Tips for success.
CELLULOSE FIBRES
Together we will work through 18 dyepots on a variety of fibre types. We will use both yarns and fabrics.
PROTEIN FIBRES
Work effectively with your materials. Learn how to use dyes in their raw form and still achieve rich even colour.
EXHAUST BATHS
Get every bit of colour out of your dyebaths. Learn efficient ways to use water and manage your workflow.
IRON COLOUR SHIFT
Colour shift with iron using techniques that will not harm your fibres.
INDIGO OVERDYE
Learn how to make and maintain an organic indigo vat, while also using it to overdye your samples.
SHAPED RESIST & INDIGO
Work with timeless patterning techniques of shaped resist to dye lengths of cotton in an organic indigo vat. Learn how to revive a vat and put a vat to bed.
DISCUSSION
Review the concepts covered in the workshop in-depth from the perspective of working dyers managing professional production. An inspirational conclusion.
Free Lessons From Maiwa
As part of our commitment to the textile arts these lessons are offered free of charge.