Noble, Elin (#6273) Natural Dyes: Making A Color Library, July 25-29

In the first part of this class, each participant will use natural dye extracts to construct a color library on white and a light blue indigo dyed ground. This color library will be created using three mordants (and mixtures of them) and a broad palette of dyes (including cochineal, pomegranate, Himalayan rhubarb, weld, and madder). This will become a reference library for future projects.

The second part of the class introduces polychromatic dyeing. Prior to dyeing we will apply mordants to cloth through shibori, hand application, and printing techniques, including discharge and overprinting. In a one-color dye bath we will attain multiple colors and patterns, depending on the mordant mixtures and where and how they have been applied to the cloth. We will hand-paint a range of dyes onto the mordanted cloth, thereby achieving an even wider range of colors, shapes and spaces.

We will also explore a method of painting and printing using mordanted dyes on un-mordanted cloth. The dyes and mordants are mixed together making a dye paint to apply directly to the cloth using the same shibori, hand application, and printing techniques. The process is direct and the results dynamic.

Instructor’s Bio: Elin Noble was born in Munich, Germany, grew up in the United States, the Far East and Europe, and now resides in Langley, Washington. She studied art history in Florence, Italy and has traveled and studied in Japan, India, Turkey, Peru, South Africa, Europe, and Mexico. Elin is the author of Dyes & Paints: A Hands-On Guide to Coloring Fabric, winner of the 1999 Independent Publisher book award for the best “How-To Book”. She has a BFA in Fiber from the University of Washington. As former Lab Manager at PRO Chemical & Dye, she has a vast experience and understanding of dyeing. She has appeared on PBS, lectured, and conducted dye and paint workshops across North America as well as internationally. Her work has been reviewed in Fiberarts, is on the cover of Fine Woodworking Design Book Six, and was included in the traveling exhibition, Fiberart International 2004. She was nominated for the teacher of the year award for 2005 by Professional Quilter magazine. Elin’s work may be seen at http://elinnoble.com.

Noble Natural Dyes supply list