Recapping the Natural Dyes Workshop with Shaela Hill

On the 21st of September, a keen group of crafters and plant lovers alike joined together at UBC Botanical Garden’s Natural Dyes Workshop. The group was led by the talented textile artist Shaela Hill of The Dandelion Dyer.  

Natural dyes are one of the best ways to conserve plants. It may sound counter intuitive, but when we use plants for food, medicine, or crafts such as this, we become more interested in their hidden qualities and conservation. 

 

Overview of Natural Dyes 

Natural dyeing is the art of creating colour with natural plant materials. Whether retrieved from your garden or your kitchen, creating natural dye will allow you to experience a direct connection with the materials and plant extracts. 

While natural dyeing requires an immense amount of patience and curiosity, it is also really fun! Especially when you have a teacher to guide you, explain the steps and prepare the materials for you.  

For Shaela, the process of natural dyeing starts at the beginning of the year, in planning out her garden. Each plant grows on its own schedule, and it’s up to us to know exactly what part of the plant can be turned into dye and when to harvest it. Most plants will bloom for months and provide a huge supply of materials to dye with. A lot of these materials can also be dried or pressed to work with later. On the beautiful September morning when this workshop took place, we were lucky enough to work with plants that were in full bloom and fresh from the garden!   

Plants Used: 

• Marigold (Tagetes) – yellow colour 

• Tickseed coreopsis (Coreopsis) – orange colour 

• Canadian Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) – yellow colour 

• Pokeweed (Phytolacca decandra) – pink/purple colour 

• Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus) – pink, purple and blue colours 

• Red amaranth (Amaranthus) – pink colour 

• Onion skins (Allium cepa) – yellow colour 

• Black beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) – blue colour 

Workshop Highlights 

The first item on the agenda was a walking tour around the Garden to see some of the dye plants listed above actively growing. At each stop Shaela shared some great tips for new natural dyers; for instance, how temperature or type of mordant  (a pre-treatment that allows dye to stay on the fabric)  can impact the final colour. A favourite moment of mine included a stop at the purple pincushion flower (Scabiosa atropurpurea); pictured below. I learned it can provide various shades from green to purple depending on the mordant used! 

Once everyone had settled back in after the walking tour and helped themselves to some coffee and tea, Shaela shared her knowledge on dye plants, mordants, and where to source materials if you wish to try any of the techniques at home. After socks were distributed, we were shown the process of extracting colour from 4 different plants. Participants learned all of the factors that might impact colour such as fiber type, amount of plant material, heat levels, timing and the type of mordant used. This time of year, we had a beautiful selection of fresh plant materials to work with. The four colours we could choose from to dye the socks included bright orange (from Tickseed Coreopsis), sunshine yellow (from Marigold), soft yellow (from Canadian Goldenrod) and pink (from Pokeweed). 

Finally, it was time to take the plunge and dye our socks! Shaela had previously prepared our socks with the first two vital steps in the dyeing process: scouring and mordanting. The first step, scouring, involves stripping the fabric of any waxy substances so that it can evenly and completely absorb the dye. In this case, working with 100% organic cotton socks, she used synthrapol soap and washing soda. The second step, mordanting, allows the dyestuff to bond with the fiber so that the colour sticks and lasts as long as possible. Most natural dyes will not adhere to the fibers without the use of a mordant. In this case, Shaela prepared all the cotton socks with Alum. Most plants will respond well to fiber mordanted with Alum; however, some plants respond better to other mordants. During this workshop, we had the opportunity to also learn about vinegar as a mordant through the process of dyeing with pokeweed. 

 

After a brief introduction to scouring and mordanting, we were able to choose our own colours. We were asked to choose which dye bath we wanted to dunk our socks into. The most popular colours among the group were bright yellow and bright orange. Some participants even decided to get creative and double dip in multiple baths to combine and create their own unique colours! Others decided to dye each sock a different colour. In the end, everyone took home their own unique pair of socks.   

While the socks hung to dry, we got into another natural dyeing technique called eco-printing, or bundle-dyeing. Eco-printing handkerchiefs was definitely my favourite part of the workshop! Shaela provided a wide variety of dried and fresh flowers and plants like cosmos, marigold, coreopsis, red amaranth and even some food waste like black beans and onion skins. After the fabric was prepped, we were able to design the handkerchiefs to our own liking; placing bits of flowers, beans and onion skins in distinct designs. One participant made a heart with marigolds that turned out wonderfully! 

After laying out our designs and bundling them up with elastic bands, the handkerchiefs were placed in a pot of steam for just 15 minutes to transfer the colour. We all unraveled them at once to reveal our colourful prints.  

Impact 

This wonderful workshop offered more than simply learning a new skill. Crafting with plants  allows us to improve our identification skills and connects us to various plant species around us. Further, it reminds us of the rich biodiversity on earth that supports so many species of plants. When we use these plants to create dyes and art, we can see how much they have to offer.  By crafting sustainably we can learn a new skill, celebrate nature’s gifts and gain a sense of responsibility to protect these plants. 

A quote that stood out to me in the book that Shaela recommended was; 

“Today, when concern for the environment and conservation of the resources of the natural world are of paramount importance, it is vital that we look towards the future and consider the environmental and human impact of our activities”  – Wild Color: The Complete Guide to Making and Using Natural Dyes by Jenny Dean 

This book can now be purchased at the Garden Shop! 

Upcoming Events 

We’re very excited to announce that in the coming year we will be providing a new series of Natural Dyes Workshops with Shaela Hill.

Future workshops will incorporate seasonal plant materials and preserved plants. We also hope to include possible themes such as food waste and upcycling fabrics with natural dyeing.

Interested in attending the next Natural Dyes Workshop? Check out the events page on the UBC Botanical Garden website or sign up for our newsletter to hear first thing. Spots fill up quickly! 

A big thank you goes out to Shaela Hill from everyone on the Sustainability and Community Programs team for helping us bring the community together for a fun and insightful workshop. 

About the Authors

Shaela Hill, a talented natural dyer and sewist based in British Columbia, graduated from the Bachelor of Design: Fashion & Technology program at the Wilson School of Design. With over five years of experience, she has honed her craft with dedication, becoming not only a skilled artist but also an inspiring teacher in the art of natural dyes. 

All of Shaela’s products and tips can be found on her website as well as through her Instagram page and Etsy shop @thedandeliondyer. 

Lauren Kufske is a WorkLearn student at the UBC Botanical Garden, where she serves as a Sustainability and Community Programs Facilitator. In her role, she collaborates with Dr. Tara Moreau and the SCP Team to bring workshops and events to life. Lauren is in her fourth year at UBC, pursuing a degree in Environmental Science with a minor in Sustainable Food Systems.