The Fiberary

I took a class on cultivating and using natural dyes this week and wow! I don’t have words for what an experience this was. I got to meet some lovely, creative, kind, talented people, learn from an extremely knowledgeable teacher, and I returned home with newfound confidence and skills.

The campus is absolutely divine. It has a mountain view, walkable paths, and historical buildings. There were places I didn’t have time to explore (so I guess that means I’ll just have to go back).

The first full day was spent learning about mordants, ratios, and the chemistry and math that makes it all work. I learned to use aluminum acetate for cellulose fibers, alum for protein fibers, and different ways to use iron.

The second day we started dyeing! Our sampler used seven different plants for dyes: black hollyhock, dyer’s chamomile, dyer’s coreopsis, indigo, madder root, marigolds, and weld. There was also woad in the garden, but it had already gone to seed.

Almost every morning was foggy and a comfortable temperature, so I spent a lot of time wandering the gardens taking pictures and getting to know the plants.

The third day we spent doing more dyeing, learning techniques like shibori and resist dyeing, as well as eco printing. Now I’m constantly on the lookout for leaves and flowers to press so I can make more eco prints.

The final full morning I got up early to meet some of my classmates in the dye garden and dig up madder roots for a final dye pot. It was lovely to work in the dirt and make such a lovely color from the fruit of our labor! I’ll definitely wear gardening gloves next time, though, those plant barbs made my skin extremely unhappy.

All in all, we had stacks of fabric and skeins of yarn dyed lovely colors, as well as our rainbow of samples, by the end of the week. We also had developed a wholesome, joyous community both within our class and at the Folk School in general.

I can’t wait to try more eco printing. I might have a dye day and have friends over to share what I’ve learned sometime soon. And I have new friends and pen pals, both in my state and outside of it.

I’m so grateful to have had this opportunity to learn and be part of something like this. I will definitely be returning, be it a year from now or five, and I will be dragging friends and family along for the ride–an experience like this is meant to be shared!