Level: all
Sunday
Apr 21
10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Instructor: Laura Berkowitz Gilbert
Fee: $150 (incl all supplies)
Embrace the blues and get ready to dive into the exciting world of natural dyeing with indigo! We’ll spend our workshop learning about indigo dyeing and exploring shibori techniques to create patterns on cloth.
We’ll begin with a brief history of indigo and discuss the various indigo growing regions across the world. Laura will focus on Japan and share her experience meeting with seventh-generation indigo farmers, dyers and designers in Tokushima on the island of Shikoku.
We will discuss plant-based indigo as a dye, how it differs from other natural dyes and synthetic indigo, and practically, how dyers get the indigo to adhere to the fiber. We explore why the fabric is green when it is pulled out of the vat and then slowly turns blue.
We’ll learn the resist dye technique called shibori and how it works with indigo. Laura will show us several types of shibori bindings and how to maintain a healthy vat while dyeing. Then we will spend the remainder of the class dipping our prepped textiles into the vat multiple times to achieve rich color and pattern. Laura will provide finishing and care instructions to implement at home.
Supplies: All supplies needed for this workshop will be provided by Laura.
About the Instructor: Laura Berkowitz
After graduating with a BA in History from University of Pennsylvania, Laura moved to New York City and immersed herself in the world of design and received her BFA in graphic design from Parsons School of Design.
While working at various design firms, Laura entered the world of fiber through knitting and ultimately felting. She soon began incorporating her natural dyeing practice into her fiber work. Working with dyes like organic indigo, cochineal and even food waste like avocado pits, she coaxes beautiful colors out of the vats to dye textiles, felted vases and fiber for wall art. While she loves all natural dyes, indigo is her true love. She is excited to introduce her students to this wondrous dye that is rich in color and history.
