Basics of Natural Dye

Learn the basics of natural dyeing!

Participants can bring their own natural fibers (cotton, silk, wool) and learn the process of natural dye from start to finish. The WasteShed will also provide fabric.

Techniques explored will be mordanting, immersion dyeing, resists, and pastes. Participants will leave with color swatches and bring their own fabrics to experiment with. Personal fabrics must be brought the first class in order to be used.

First Class: Scouring and mordanting fibers, mordant pastes.
***Students must bring their personal fibers to the first class in order for them to be used in following classes!!!***
Second Class: Creating resists with string and clamps. Immersion dyeing samples and mordant paste pieces.
Third Class: Immersion dyeing resist pieces and using thickened dye pastes with stamps and paint brushes.
Fourth Class: Steaming thickened dye pieces and finishing overdyes.

Instructor: Katelyn Patton

Katelyn Patton is a visual artist working in Chicago who was born and raised in the Midwest. Her practice focuses on the urban ecology and biodiversity of plants in the city and beyond, how materials and color are naturally derived from them, and how this hyper-localized knowledge can be used to connect multiple overlapping histories, stories, and meanings. She has taught workshops on natural local color with the Field Museum, Forest Preserves of Cook Co. and the Chicago Public Library. She has been the Maker-In-Residence at the Harold Washington Library, and received DCASE awards in 2020 and 2025. She received her MFA from the University of Illinois at Chicago where she was awarded the UIC Sustainability Fund to establish the UIC Art Garden, a space for cross-disciplinary explorations with plants and alternative materials.

Class Duration:

April 9th, 2026 - 6pm to 8:30pm

April 16th, 2026- 6pm to 8:30pm

April 23rd, 2026- 6pm to 8:30pm

April 30th, 2026- 6pm to 8:30pm

Experience Level:

This class is for everyone! Begginers welcome, there is no experience necessary!

What’s Provided:

• Natural Fiber Fabric (Wool Silk, Cotton), feel free to bring your own fabric if you would!
• Dyes, Mordants, String, Clamps, Dying suplies
• Paint brushes and Stamps

Participants will complete the class with multiple dyed fabrics and the knoweledge of different dye techniques.

Anything Else You Need to Know:

This class is geared towards adults.

It is not suggested that you miss class, we cannot refund missed classes.

Getting There/Where to Park:

Humboldt - Free street parking is available on the street outside of The WasteShed, but spots may be limited so please plan accordingly. The Kimball bus stops right outside our doors! Please let us know if you need wheelchair access.

Masking/Covid Policy -Masks are encouraged for this event, but not required

Documentation

Your participation in a WasteShed program constitutes implied consent to be photographed, and for those images to be utilized by The WasteShed for educational, fundraising, and marketing purposes. If you prefer not to be photographed, please let a staff member know and we’ll be happy to respect your wishes.

Refund Policy:

Ticket can be refunded up to a week before the start of the class. We cannot refund the eventbrite fee portion of the ticket cost.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

1754 N Kimball Ave, 1754 North Kimball Avenue, Chicago, United States

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

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