• Lessons to Go

    14 video lessons supported by downloadable 13 PDFs & 8 Text blocks.

  • Live Instruction

    Access to live Monthly Q&A meetings with Sarah and classmates

  • Ever-Green Access & Content

    Come back, anytime! I will keep adding content as needed.

Learn the Core Skills of Preparing Natural Fabrics

Do you love working with natural fabrics and want to learn natural dyeing or eco-printing? Have you had mediocre results with your natural dyeing or eco-printing? Good Fabric Preparation is fundamental to beautiful results.

Meet Sarah

Sarah Tremaine

Instructor

I grew up in New England, close to the forest and the sea. I moved to the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains, 43 years ago, to study environmental sciences, and 20 years ago, I shifted gears and began following my passion for designing Wearable Art using local plant materials for eco prints, natural dyes, fibers, and fabrics. It is so important to me to create and hand-make stylish, comfortable clothing, accessories & home decor that are flattering & healthy for you and for the planet. I have been teaching in person since 2010 and online since 2020. I find I can be so much more complete in my online Workshops since students have more time to absorb the material. I now provide my in-person students with access to my online material & they love it!

What Former Students are Saying...

“The pre-workshop materials were very comprehensive. It was great to have additional resources! Sarah’s teaching was very organized and concise with demonstrations. The class handouts were very helpful and the pace was great!”

Paula

“I had the best time attending one of Sarah's dye workshops. Sarah is a great teacher, she explains things well and invites you to observe every part of the process. The loveliness of the workshop still lingers for me and has inspired me to continue incorporating dyeing into my life.”

Brielle

“Sarah is a great teacher! Her instructions are clear, process well defined and creativity encouraged. I appreciated that I was able to create four lovely silk scarves during a one-day workshop - and that she provided written instructions and supply sources so that we could easily continue with our new skills at home. I’m looking forward to her online classes!”

Kit

Capture Nature's Colors on Fabric

Course curriculum

    1. Welcome to the Core Skills - Fabric Preparation Course!!

    2. How to use the Teaching Platform

    3. Materials You Need for Learning Fabric Prep

    4. The Gear You Need for Learning Fabric Preparation & More

    5. Pre-Workshop Survey

    1. Don't panic, Math is Your Friend!

    2. Record Keeping - Day Books, Dye, & EcoPrint Journals

    3. Inspiring Dye Journals

    4. Q&A on Scouring, Mordanting & Dealing with the Numbers

    1. Fabrics are Made of Fibers

    2. Let's Look at Different Fabrics

    1. Scouring Overview

    2. Scouring Protein Lesson

    3. Scouring Cellulose or Cotton Fabrics

    4. Scouring Fabric Blends

    5. Divide & Label your fabric as needed for next use...

    1. Mordanting Overview

    2. Mordanting Protein Fabrics

    3. Mordanting Cellulose Fabrics

    4. Mordanting Fabrics with both Protein & Cellulose

    5. Making Test Pieces- In General

    1. Congrats & a few more things...

    2. Resources

    3. Post-Workshop Survey

About this course

  • $15.00 first payment, $10.00 / month onwards
  • 24 lessons
  • 2 hours of video content

FAQ

  • What materials and equipment do I need?

    You will need a stainless steel 4-6qt pot, a cooking spoon, a piece of 100% cotton, or a used white 100% cotton pillowcase. (details will be available after signing up).

  • What is in the KIT that comes with the Workshop?

    The KIT has a piece of 100% silk Habotai for test pieces and small quantities of the following chemicals: Alum, Oak Gall Tannin, Soda Ash, Ferrous Sulfate and a special marking pen.

  • What will we make in the Workshop?

    You will prepare 2/3 yards of silk and cotton fabrics for natural dyeing or eco-printing test pieces.

  • Are the chemicals we will use safe in my kitchen?

    They are as safe as making pickles, digging in your garden, or cleaning the fireplace. We will keep our pot & spoon separate from our cooking pots for the duration of the Workshop.

Core Skills - Fabric Preparation

Includes:

A KIT of selected materials needed for the Workshop,

Monthly Zoom meetings,

Discussion page community support, and

Unlimited access to the course's ever-green content.

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