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Workshop with India Flint - 'Shift' repeated by public demand Tuesday Wednesday Thursday 6 7 8 December
SHIFT - dyeing with plants and water, make a shift
link to our blog here to see our 2010 workshop with India at Beautiful Silks - WORKSHOP Description: Code IF10 Fee $495.00 India is a world-renowned textile artist specializing in bio-regional ecologically sustainable plant dyes, Shift India Flint www.indiaflint.com Sew and colour a silken wrap dress. During this class we will colour cloth using very simple ingredients; leaves, water and heat. We will work with bio-regional dye sources including florist waste and kitchen discards, windfallen leaves from streets, parks and gardens. Using simple bundle dyeing techniques we will harness the effects of scrap metals, different waters and other easily sourced ingredients to influence dye outcomes as well as discussing a range of methods for plant dye extraction and application. There will be opportunity to experiment with a number of pre-mordant techniques as well as post-dyeing modifiers. Day 1 – discussion of plant dye techniques, dyeing of sample bundles; followed by the bundling of a three metre length of cloth in the afternoon. You may like to select your larger piece at Beautiful Silks, making your decision based on the results of the morning samples. Day 2 – we begin the day with the opening of bundles. While the 3 metre length dries we will prepare further small bundles for the dyepot; after which we will commence cutting the dyed cloth using minimum waste techniques, stitching to create either a wrap garment, or a dress combining a re-purposed bodice [from old silk shirt, T shirt or singlet] with a length of new silk. The garment may be embellished [if you wish] with some of the smaller dyed samples as well as hand-stitched detail. Day 3 – complete your garment while dyeing small additional bundles. NOTE : WE WILL BE USING COMMUNAL DYEPOTS – THE COLOUR OF YOUR CLOTH WILL BE DETERMINED BY WHAT IS INSIDE THE BUNDLE, NOT NECESSARILY BY THE BREW IN THE CAULDRON homework before Shift please prepare about 20 pieces of fabric for the workshop these would preferably be wool or silk, suggested dimensions roughly 20cm / 8” wide x 40cm / 16” long on each piece, stitch an identifying mark - which might be your initial[s], or a series of beads or a combination of buttons, or a small identifying patch of another fabric, perhaps a couple of rows of your favourite stitch this is important because samples ALWAYS change personality in the dyebath and identification is crucial to preventing tears before bedtime. Additional things to bring A pre-loved garment to use as the bodice [if desired] Small bag of fabric offcuts [natural fibres only please] Needles + Threads A ball of cotton string or wool yarn [both if you wish] Scissors Notebook and writing implement, digital camera An extra series of markers to affix to your bundles for easy identification in the dyepot [such as a handful of shells/buttons/beads/safety pins etc whatever you choose make sure you have at least four of them] A shopping carrier bag full of leaves gathered from your garden [or local park]. A three metre length of silk or wool cloth (special 10% discount off 10mtr price at Beautiful Silks for workshop participants) Sewing machine A handful of small interesting metal pieces A snaplock bag [or bowl to hold about 2 cups of liquid] Wear Clothes that don’t ‘matter’ Stout shoes with covered toes Hat in case of outdoor excursions! DEPOSITS CAN BE PAID BELOW Doors open at 9.am for a 9.30 start. Workshop closes daily at 5pm, tutor free to go home at 4pm
Above, Brenda Harrison, results New Zealand India Flint workshop 2009
You may be aquainted with the work of the accomplished India Flint, if not please see her website here. Complex Cloth is the laying stitching and eco dyeing of different types of cloth, then treating these in the same way to get different colours: You can stitch new and old or both together, to create a wealth of useable beauty from things once useless. The ecoprint is a water-based printing process used to apply colour to cloth from plants. It uses relatively small quantities of plant material in a recycled dye-bath and requires no adjunct mordants when protein fibres such as silk or wool are used. Dyes from plants are a renewable resource, whereas synthetic dyes derived from petrochemicals or fossil sources such as coal, are not. Plant dye-making links art and science, historically embracing botany and medicine as well as an appreciation of chemistry. Natural Dye Symposium June 26th-July 11th 2012, 'Nature's colours in the City' Email us to express your interest built by the elephant on 2011-08-02 |
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