Natural Dye Workshop: Indigo (Fold, Clamp, Resist) with Amy Garbark

Amy Garbark is teaching a natural dye workshop at Contemporary Craft on Thursday, November 5, from 6 PM to 9 PM. It's a beginner-friendly session, so you don't need any prior experience with dyeing or textiles to jump in.

The focus is Japanese indigo (persicaria tinctoria), a plant that's been used to dye fabric for thousands of years. You'll work with shibori, a Japanese resist-dyeing technique that creates patterns by folding, binding, and clamping the fabric. Those folds and binds block the dye from reaching certain parts of the cloth, and when you dip the piece into the indigo vat, you get a blue-and-white design. From there, you dip and oxidize the fabric until you hit the depth of blue you're after, then unbind it to see the pattern you've made.

Everyone gets to choose what they dye—a bandana, a pillowcase, a cloth napkin, or even something you bring from home. If you bring your own, just make sure it's 100% natural fiber, like cotton or linen, because synthetic fabrics won't take the dye. All the other materials are provided, and scholarships are available if the cost is a barrier.

The workshop is held at Contemporary Craft in Timmons Studios, 5688 Butler St., Pittsburgh, PA 15201, in the Beth Wainwright Dye Lab on the second floor. It runs from 6 PM to 9 PM on Thursday, November 5, and costs $65 plus a $20 materials fee.