Beginning Cochineal Dye Workshop

Cochineal is an insect that is indigenous to the Southwest and Mexico and lives on the Prickly Pear cactus. The cochineal used for this workshop specifically has been farmed and harvested in Peru.

The cochineal insect makes a natural brilliant red/purple dye (Carmine) that has been used for thousands of years to dye both wool and cotton fibers. Cochineal is also known as carmine dye. Today, carmine is primarily used as a colorant in food and in lipstick (E120 or Natural Red 4).

Participants in this workshop will learn to treat wool for dyeing, prepare a cochineal dye bath, and then will dye the wool in different conditions to demonstrate the wide range of colors that may be obtained.

This is a beginner’s workshop, and we will work with Peruvian farmed cochineal. Cochineal is an insect, and so is not a vegan dye.
Andrew Lettes is a retired science teacher with time on his hands and a love for creativity

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