Indigo Dyeing Workshop

Join artist and nature enthusiast Liz Gaffney for an immersive Indigo Dyeing workshop, perfect for beginners and those looking to refresh their skills. Over the course of the day, you’ll uncover the ancient magic of indigo and its historic Scottish equivalent, woad — exploring their fascinating history and cultural significance. You’ll create your own indigo dye vat using the 1-2-3 fructose method, which you’ll take home to continue your experiments. Learn how to prepare fabrics and papers for dyeing, and master the key technique of excluding oxygen, which is crucial for achieving the perfect indigo blue.

You’ll also be introduced to the art of shibori — a Japanese resist dyeing method that includes folding, tying, and stitching to create beautiful patterns. Indigo’s versatility allows it to be used on recycled fabrics, giving new life to old textiles without the need for mordants.

By the end of the day, you’ll leave with a working indigo vat to further experiment with at home, along with a collection of dyed fabric and paper samples to showcase your new skills. You’ll also have a deeper understanding of the historical significance of indigo and woad, and be inspired to grow your own dye plants in your garden.

A wide selection of fabrics and papers will be provided, but you’re welcome to bring along your own small, well-scoured pieces to add a personal touch to your creations.

You may also like the following events from Central Scotland School of Craft:

• This Saturday, 21st June, 10:00 am, Marbling on Paper and Textiles in Dunblane
• Next Thursday, 26th June, 10:00 am, Japanese Stab Bookbinding in Dunblane
• Next month, 4th July, 11:00 am, Eco Print and Dye in Dunblane

Also check out other Workshops in Dunblane, Arts events in Dunblane.