Explore the color potential of Vermont’s late-summer landscape in this immersive natural dyeing workshop led by Catharina Sikkes and Roelof Boumans. Over two days, participants work hands-on with wild plants gathered in season and learn how to transform them into a vibrant, nuanced palette.

The focus is on accessible, environmentally mindful methods, using alum as the primary mordant and supplementing with plant-based options such as rhubarb-leaf mordanting. By experimenting with multiple dye plants, varied mordanting approaches, and different bath strengths, you’ll see how each variable shapes the final color.

Everyone will create a structured sample portfolio documenting every combination. This becomes both a practical reference for future projects and a beautiful record of what Vermont’s landscape offers at this time of year.

Whether you’re new to natural dyes or looking to deepen your craft, this workshop invites you to experiment, observe, and let the land guide your color work.

This class will work with 3 natural indigo vats of varying strengths. Attention to mixing vats with a focus on the final color value will be stressed. Thus we will have one for pale, medium and dark colored yarns. Correct measuring of dye material to the volume water in the vat will be emphasized to ensure successful indigo dyeing. Students will assist in making the vats and running samples on natural colored yarn and as well as  pre-dyed natural dyed yarns to mix for greens and blues and purple shades. Finally, correct finishing of indigo dyed yarns will be demonstrated to minimize crocking. Students will receive a set of 96 samples that we dye in class.