Thats ok. Whilst I encourage participating in these chats, they are not an essential part of the course. Our Zoom meet ups will be recorded and uploaded to the course player so you can view them at anytime.
Garden Party + Hand Sewn Tunic
This course combines the fun and delight to dye our own fabric using natural dyes.
At the end of six weeks we meet with the delightful Sarah Woodyard, from Sewn Company, who will teach us how to make a hand sewn tunic using our naturally dyed fabric.
Part 1: Garden Party
This is an introductory course where you will discover the magic of natural dyes and eco-printing to decorate the surface of fabric prior to stitching.
Held over a series of six consecutive weeks, with recorded video lessons and downloadable pdf handouts. This means you have lifetime access to the information - so if you need to go back and refresh your memory you can.
Courses are play on demand, and we will meet weekly with the opportunity to ask questions and share our progress with the group.
Part 2: Hand Sewn Tunic
In the class you will make a basic hand-sewn tunic using pre-recorded videos as your guide.
Your tunic will be either a rectangle or a square depending on the design you choose. The goal is to make a tunic you love while also minimizing waste when cutting out the fabric.
This class is not intended for you to make only one style. The goal is to empower you to get creative and be able to cut and sew a variety of designs using the theories taught in this class.
You will get comfortable with understanding the width and length of your fabric to create a beautiful top.
In the videos I am making a blue cotton tunic to teach you these principles. I have also provided two other examples I have sewn as other options to inspire you. Once I made one, I couldn’t stop! They are so easy and fun to make!
We will meet for two in-person sessions on Saturday, August 27th and Sunday, August 28th from 11 am to 1 pm ET to sew together and to provide time for questions.
How the program is delivered
Design and create your hand stitched garment using natural dyes
The first week of the course will be released on Monday 18 July and a new module will be released weekly for the next 6 weeks.
Workshops are available on demand, which means you can watch them at your convenience.
We will meet and discuss our projects on weekly zoom calls, and also have the ability to share our progress in a private facebook group.
We will cover a variety of processes and techniques including :
- Solar dyeing
- Hapa-zome (Japanese leaf-dye technique)
- Ice flower dyeing
- Hot dyes
- Eco / bundle dyeing
- Shibori (Japanese resist) dyeing techniques
- Understanding the magic of mordants and modifiers (to change the colours of our plant dyes)
What our students are saying ...
A look at the modules inside our program
01. Before We Begin
To set ourselves up for success our first module demonstrates how to get started with natural dyeing including how to clean our materials to get the best results and what fibres give the best results.
We also cover best practices, the materials and products to use to get the best results every time.
02. Solar Dyes
- Use the heat of the sun to dye our fabric and fibres
03. Ice Flower Dyeing
Some dyes are so delicate, that the usual heat extraction method ruins the colour. Using cold is another way to coax colour from plants.
04. Hapa-zome
Japanese printing with plants.
05. Hot Dyes
Use whatever you have around the house. I demonstrate with avocado seeds, golden rod, wild privet. Armed with this information, you will be able to experiment with the natural world around you.
06. Bundle or Eco Dye
A magical way of transferring plant images onto fabric. Learn how in grey scale and in colour
BONUS: The Mystery of Modifiers and Mordants explained
- What are mordants and why do we need them?
- How to modify your natural colours
BONUS: Shibori Patterns
Create wonderful patterns on fabric using the Japanese art of shibori (resist dye) techniques
BONUS: Hand stitched tunic with Sarah Woodyard, Sewn Company
Learn the basics of pattern making by taking a few simple measurements.
Demonstrated techniques include:
- left and right handed stitching using a thimble
- whip stitch
- back stitch
- how to sew like a sewing machine
- hemming stitch
Everything you need to make and sew your own unique garment
$249
Sarah Woodyard ~ Sewn Company
Inspired by the labour of historical dressmakers Sarah Woodyard of Sewn Company spent seven years apprenticing at the Margaret Hunter Millinery Shop in Colonial Williamsburg to learn eighteenth-century mantua-making (dressmaking) and millinery.
After completing her apprenticeship she became a Journeywoman mantua-maker and milliner. Sarah also holds a Master of Arts in Material Culture from the University of Alberta. You can read her thesis about hand-sewing here >>.
She is passionate about preserving the skills and stories of hand sewing, through research, design and education. These stories remind us of what is possible through practice, attention and care. Join her in stitching a modern hand-sewn tunic to help preserve the skill of hand-sewing and "remember what your hands can do."
Kate Ward
Kate Ward (BFA, MA and MFA) studied Textiles, Printmaking, Paper making, and Ceramics in Australia, participated in an exchange with the Kyoto Seika University, and she combines her love of art and travel and has had the opportunity to study in Japan, Italy, England and Canada.
Throughout her journey as artist and educator she continues to return to her textile roots making functional sewn and hand-stitched garments and objects for exhibition, seeing this work as ‘comfort food’ for the soul.
With a focus on sustainability and zero waste living, Kate embraces stitching as an act of mindfulness, self-care, resilience, and environmental awareness.
Kate now calls Canada home.
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