Upcoming Workshops
Natural Dyeing 101
Weekend Intensive
Textile Arts Center, Brooklyn
September 16-17, 2017
11:00 - 5:00
This two day intensive workshop introduces students to the world of beautiful, accessible, and sustainable botanical dyes. Students learn the basics of selecting and preparing fibers, extracting color from a variety of plant materials, and fixing natural dyes to fabric. We’ll discuss the history of natural dye use, and explore some contemporary applications of pattern. Students will leave with the substantial beginnings of a swatch library documenting a range of fibers, dyes, mordants, and modifiers - including indigo! Bring along any materials you'd like to experiment with.
Indigo Dyeing
One-day Intensive
Textile Arts Center, Manhattan
Sunday, September 24, 2017
11:00 - 5:00
Focusing on plant derived natural indigo, students in this intensive workshop will prepare two indigo vats for dyeing both protein and cellulose fibers. We’ll create an array of swatches and explore resist dyeing techniques reliant on the particular working qualities of indigo. Fabric will be provided, but feel free to bring along some light colored natural fabrics to experiment with!
Fiber Techniques for Book Artists
One Week Intensive
Snow Farm, Williamsburg MA
October 1 - 7, 2017
room and board available
Add fiber arts techniques to bookmaking and bring a world of color, pattern, and texture to your work! Learn to prepare and fix natural dyes to fabric and paper for accessible, sustainable color. Use these fibers to create a bound book exploring the synergy of fiber arts, book arts, embroidery, and needle weaving. Bring materials to test in the dye pot or incorporate into your binding. All levels welcome.
Fabric Marbling Intensive
Weekend Intensive
Textile Arts Center, Brooklyn
October 14-15, 2017
11:00 - 5:00
One of our younger students once described marbling as "magic fighting magic". That's pretty much how we feel about this magical technique. In this two-day workshop students will learn the fundamentals of marbling on fabric, including materials selection, how to prepare a marbling vat, and the best pigments to use for lasting patterns. We’ll spend one session learning the secrets of Japanese suminagashi, and the second session getting colorful with Western-style pattern making.
Fabric Marbling
One-day Intensive
Textile Arts Center, Manhattan
Sunday, October 22, 2017
11:00 - 5:00
One of our younger students once described marbling as "magic fighting magic". That's pretty much how we feel about this magical technique. In this course students will learn the fundamentals of marbling, including how to select fabrics and prepare a marbling vat to create permanent prints. After getting familiar with traditional patterns, students can develop their own palette and style to create a suite of patterns
Large Format Suminagashi
One-day Intensive
Textile Arts Center, Brooklyn
Saturday, October 28, 2017
11:00 - 5:00
In this one day intensive, students will learn the fundamentals of suminagashi, the craft of Japanese marbling. We’ll discuss the history and ideology shaping suminagashi, then how to create monoprints on paper and fabric. Small studies will be expanded upon in our large 4x4’ marbling vat, where students will have the opportunity to print yardage with their unique patterns! Materials will be provided by TAC, but students may bring additional natural fiber fabrics if they wish.
Large Format Fabric Marbling
One-day Intensive
Textile Arts Center, Brooklyn
Sunday, November 5, 2017
11:00 - 5:00
In this one day intensive, students will learn the basics of marbling on fabric, including how to prepare a marbling vat and the best pigments to use for permanent prints. We’ll discuss the history behind European marbling traditions, then get colorful creating marbled monoprints. Small studies will be expanded upon in our large 4x4’ marbling vat, where students will have the opportunity to print yardage with their unique patterns! Materials will be provided by TAC, but students may bring additional natural fiber fabrics if they wish.
Book Arts 101
Weekend Intensive
Textile Arts Center, Brooklyn
November 18 - 19, 2017
11:00 - 5:00
Explore the basics in this course that looks at bookbinding as a fluid and expressive art form - and one that dovetails with fiber arts! Students will learn the fundamental vocabulary and tools of bookbinding as we create 5 non-adhesive books. Using paper as a fiber, each book model will explore the opportunities for fiber and book arts to connect through techniques including embroidery, needle weaving, natural dyeing, and resist techniques.
Registration for all Textile Arts Center classes can be found here.
Contact Natalie for information about private lessons for individuals or small groups.