exploring natural dyes E-BOOK - grades 10-12 exercises & recipes

note: this purchase is for a pdf e-book. you will receive a download link upon purchase.

enjoy natural dyeing at home or in the classroom with your youth with this exercise book! this e-book is written for youth in grades 10-12. originally designed for schools with the support of manitoba arts council’s artists in schools program. always practice kitchen and plant safety when working with natural dyes.

this 105-page full-colour e-book includes:

• a brief history of natural dyes

• setting up a classroom dye studio

• vocabulary list

• health & safety notes

• the science and steps for dyeing animal and plant fibres

• the role of water in natural dyeing

• the science of indigo

• the chemistry of natural dye colours

• a full rainbow of recipes for dyes and paints

• resources for growing a dye garden & notes on foraging

• connecting natural dyes and fibresheds

• exercises and age-appropriate instructions for:

  • solar dyeing

  • ice dyeing

  • eco-printing

  • flower pounding

  • exhausting dye pots

  • making paper from leftover dye baths

  • plant masks

  • multi-media collages

  • fibreshed field trips

  • plant walks

  • making a dye journal

  • painting with natural dyes on fabric

  • making lake pigments

  • making watercolour paints and chalk pastels

• printable pages for:

  • identifying different fabric types

  • math practice (percentages)

  • UV rays research project

  • plant anatomy

  • interview project

  • sustainability in textiles

  • water impact project

  • ancestry research project

  • true or false quizzes

  • colourfastness research assignment

  • assignments for innovations in industry, dye chemical analysis, and the impact of colonialism on historical records

• resources including book and online class recommendations, suppliers, and more

are you a school educator? check out this page for more information about bringing ash to your school.

want more natural dye recipes? find full monographs, recipes, ideal growing zones, additional uses, and fun facts in the creative coven community’s colour journal!