Date
Saturday, 27 April 2024
Time
1:00pm - 4:00pm (3 hours)
Price
£45
Room
Histology Lab
Age guidance
16+
Explore natural dyes while creating a speckled sock blank that you can use to make identical socks (or more)! Using local and seasonal flowers, leaves, roots and plant extracts, we’ll begin exploring the key aspects of working with natural dyes: fibre preparation, sourcing dyestuffs, setting dyes, safe dyeing practice and other tips and tricks and explore some of the many dyeplants found in our local landscapes.
Skills required
None
Materials required
Provided: Sock blank, mordant, and dyes.
Participants will take away a dyed, two stranded sock blank, notes on the processes covered and the knowledge to begin their own dye practice. Please bring an apron, rubber gloves and a notebook.
Teacher biography
Julia Billings is a craftsperson and horticulturist based in Bridgeton, Glasgow, where she runs a natural dye and textile studio, producing plant-dyed yarn and threads for craftspeople and facilitating workshops on dyeing, knitting, mending and other textile skills. Julia taught herself to knit in an attempt to keep warm while working outdoors in horticulture and soon found most of her spare time being spent knitting! Travel and time with inspired teachers fuelled a love of traditional techniques and working with colour and it is the reworking and combining of these old skills and techniques with simple, clean design and materials that most inspire her.
Julia firmly believes that the transfer of skills and knowledge is essential to the ongoing development and elevation of craft and has taught knitters of all levels.