IT IS NOW TOO LATE TO JOIN THE GROWING PROGRAM AS YOUR PLANTS WOULD NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO MATURE BUT IF YOU ARE ALREADY GROWING AND YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE PART IN THE TWO DYEING WORKSHOPS (LIVE ZOOM AND RECORDED FOR REPLAY) END OF JULY AND END OF AUGUST 2024 BOOK A SPACE USING THE LINK BELOW:
JAPANESE INDIGO AND WOAD FRESH LEAVES AND EXTRACTION ONLINE WORKSHOP – NO GROWING INVOLVED
If you are already growing Indigo and Woad you might be looking for a group to learn from and experiment with… Here we are ready for you. In two online live workshops join our group of grower to learn a number of techniques allowing to use your fresh leaves Japanese Indigo and Woad to create the blue colour. In July we will work with simple methods such as salt and ice extraction plus simple vat. In August we will make a Woad vat, we will extract pigment that can be used later for creating printing paste and water colour as well as making dye vats. You will need to have your own plants or will be able to observe and replay the videos in a further season. The course is delivered on the basis of videos of the live sessions where you can ask questions, together with written instructions in a blog post. You can keep the material for 2 years.
£70.00
Growing a natural dye garden is one of the most satisfying gardening task of all. I made my first journey from Seeds to Dye in 2020 the year of Covid to compensate for the fact I could not travel to Asia to work with Indigo. It was completely mind blowing and I loved every step of the process. I grew from seeds in a small raise bed we built in the garden.. I was so hooked that the following Spring I secured some grounds in the Glasgow Botanical garden to grow again and share with the public.
I also set up a “home growing program” where participants would just grow a small number of plants at home in beds or pots to then experiment with the colour on fibre.
This year the group is much larger and not only from the UK but a few overseas participants. Together we grow Woad and Japanese Indigo and meet up regularly on zoom online for live sessions. We check results with each other and in July and August we will extract colour to secure blue.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO JOIN US? PLEASE READ BELOW AND FIND THE LINK BELOW TO BOOK A SPACE:
HOME GROWING JAPANESE INDIGO AND WOAD PROGRAM – FRESH LEAVES WORKSHOPS AND PIGMENT EXTRACTION
In this full workshop online live you will learn how to grow Japanese Indigo and Woad and how to use the leaves to create blue dye. Read below for the details.
£110.00
MOST OF THIS WORKSHOP IN ON ZOOM LIVE AND IT WILL BE RECORDED AND SHARED FOR REPLAY. THE CATCH UP SESSIONS ONLY FOR A FEW DAYS BUT THE LEARNING BITS WILL BE SHARE FOR 1 YEAR. THEY ARE FOR THE USE OF THE PARTICIPANT ONLY NOT FOR SHARING AROUND. PLEASE REMEMBER ANY SELF EMPLOYED ARTIST NEEDS YOUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT.
PLEASE NOTE WITH EVERY BOOKINGS FROM MAINLAND UK YOU WILL RECEIVE A PACKET OF JAPANESE INDIGO SEEDS AND SOME WOAD SEEDS THE FIRST WEEK OF APRIL 2023.
A FTER BOOKING YOUR SPACE YOU WILL NEED TO EMAIL ME YOUR POSTAL ADDRESS ON bettysbeautifullife@gmail.com You will be able to order more seeds from my seed suppliers based in the UK if you wish to grow more plants, I am not in position to supply you with additional seeds.
I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DESPATCH SEEDS AFTER THE 7TH OF APRIL BUT YOU WILL GET INFORMATION ABOUT SUPPLIERS AFTER JOINING IN.
I AM BASED IN SCOTLAND AND I WILL FOLLOW THE GROWING SEASON THERE. IT IS VERY SUITED TO NORTH OF ENGLAND OR WALES CLIMATE. YOU ARE WELCOME TO JOIN ME IF YOU ARE LOCATED ELSEWHERE BUT IT IS POSSIBLE OUR SEASONS OF GROWTH DONT COINCIDE EXACTLY.
THE LAUNCH DATE IS THE 7TH OF APRIL, IF YOU BOOK A SPACE AFTER THAT DATE YOU WILL GET THE RECORDING OF EVERY SESSION YOU MISSED TOGETHER WITH THE INSTRUCTIONS.
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Elisabeth is a natural dye artist, based in Glasgow, Scotland. She grows and teaches how to dye with Indigo and Woad. She opened “The Indigo plot” a natural dye garden in the grounds of the Glasgow Botanical garden in 2021. From there she runs a sustainable dye program, educating the public to make the connection between plant and colour.
In 2021 she launched her program of “home growers” for wannabe dyers at home, sending them seeds for the blue dye and liaising with them during the growth season to help them trouble shooting. For that she uses regular zoom sessions. For those interested to go the extra mile she shares extractions and direct fresh leaves techniques via instructions and video material. All material is available for one further season.
To take part you will need some ground space, access to water. If you don’t have a garden you can grow in tubs. In time a list of what you need will be sent out. There will be regular contacts from April onwards.
We will use zoom online live to connect, Elisabeth will set up 4 meetings during which catch up and share experience. She regularly will send notes and questionnaires.
Elisabeth will share information prior to planting and share web based write related to her own dye garden on the project fb page and via blog posts. You will be encouraged to join the FB group and post your own progress.
When the crop is ready you will be invited to learn how to use fresh leaves indigo to create colour on your fibre and how to extract an Indigo vat via a zoom online live session.
You will receive guidance to grow, harvest your plants by written instructions and live recorded zoom catch up and you will be given instructions about using Fresh leaves Japanese Indigo to create colour. (iced and salt methods)
You will be included in all the above we will make a Woad vat direct from pigment, We will extract pigment for making some watercolour, We will extrat Indigo pigment for making paste. We will learn to vat this and also keep it. We will learn to vat the iced extraction and other methods.
You dont need any particular experience to take part or a large garden as Indigo can be grown in pots small quantities. You have to remember though that you will need to water regularly during the summer, make sure you have back up when you will be away…
F or any questions please come back to bettysbeautifullife@gmail.com
