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the MAIWA BLOG

 




See All Handkerchiefs

See All Blanks & Bundles

HANKIES, NATURAL DYES & WILD HEATHER 

We recently found out how Australian natural dyer Heather Thomas uses our organic cotton hankies in her dyeing practice. We were so impressed we asked if we could share it. You can find Heather on the web at her site  wildheather.com.au and follow her on instagram at @wildheather_australia.  Here's what she told us:

"I bought a 100 pack of Maiwa's handkerchiefs a year ago. I had the inspiration to use them as a way to display all the natural dye colours I have been obtaining. Over time I have dyed many pieces of cloth and yarn —all such lovely colours — but it's hard to put everything together to illustrate the beauty. 

"I saw Maiwa's hankies as a solution. They were a uniform shape, hemmed, and all from one type of cotton.  They would give me a way to focus on the shades and colours, without texture and size interfering!

"Here is how I worked:

- I scoured them all.

- I mordanted most of them with gallnut and then alum and soda ash. 

- A few I mordanted with just alum acetate.

- I dried them, so I had them on hand to add to dye pots as an additional extra when dyeing other things.

"Some I left un-mordanted, ready to dye in my natural indigo vats, (fructose or iron vats, mainly). Some of these indigo-dyed hankies I then mordanted with gallnut and the alum & soda recipe. As they only weigh 5 grams, I mostly left them overnight in the cold left-over gallnut pot and then the cold left-over alum/soda pot when I had one available. With these dried and stored, it was no effort to pop one into a hot dye pot next time I had one on the stove.
 
"That is how, over time, I have ended up with so many shades! There are 63 in that photo! — Heather"

Heather is a former student of the Maiwa Workshops. She is presently working and travelling to complete additional natural dye research, assisted by a Churchill Fellowship.

Thanks Heather, for sharing your process and tips.


HANDKERCHIEFS

Handkerchief Blanks: Singles, 12 Pack, 50 Pack, 100 Pack


BANDANAS

Bandana Blanks: Singles, 12 Pack, 50 Pack, 100 Pack

See All Blank Bandanas

Shown: Our blank bandanas dyed with combinations of pomegranate, cutch, cochineal, and iron.


START WITH A SURFACE

Maiwa searches the world to find beautiful, organic cloth. Our blanks are designed to be platforms for your creativity and handwork. All are made of 100% natural fibres, most are handwoven and certified organic. Many are woven with hand-spun yarns making them a dream to work with. Garments are sewn with dyeable cotton threads. We are always adding to this collection.

Shown: Our blank bandanas dyed with indigo.


NAPKINS

Napkin Blanks: Singles, 6 Pack, 12 Pack, 50 Pack, 100 Pack

See All Blank Napkins

Shown: Maiwa's hand block printed and naturally dyed napkins.

See All Blanks & Bundles





DON'T MISS OUT!
Registration for Maiwa School of Textiles workshops start on Monday.

See All Workshops Here






See All Natural Dyes

Visit Maiwa's naturaldyes.ca





The Guide to Natural Dyes

How to Dye with Indigo

For more information on natural dyes visit naturaldyes.ca.




To our U.S. customers – don't forget that the exchange rate works in your favour, it's like an extra discount.

Thursday, March 30, 2023 No comments


APRIL 3rd AT 9am PACIFIC TIME

THE INK MAKING WORKSHOP

ONLINE

WITH TIM MCLAUGHLIN

Read about your instructor Tim McLaughlin



INK MAKING WORKSHOP TRAILER

Watch the Trailer Here



Learn the process of making both pigmented
and non-pigmented inks, including classics like iron gall ink as well as inks made from natural dyes like cochineal and lake pigments like weld. 
 
21 documentary style instructional videos with written instructions and downloadable PDF's.
Work with a range of materials including indigo, carbon black, cochineal, weld, gum Arabic and shellac.
Learn about ink making as a way to explore materials.

Consider the history of writing and ink and the future of your own creative practice.

See Full Online Workshop Details Here

Online Workshop begins May 8, 2023

This online workshop is designed to be done anywhere in the world - in your home or studio. It features a robust Q&A section with instructors directly answering student questions and one final live zoom event.


See what people are saying about The Ink Making Workshop
 
This has been the most wonderful course. The videos are SO well put together (even my partner's ears will perk up when he hears the opening theme music and he'll come over to watch for a purely aesthetic experience :)). Instructions are easy to follow, and I love how you provide historical background on the dyes, as well as the important how-tos. The course has whet my appetite for ink-making and has also flooded me with creative inspiration. I would absolutely recommend future iterations of this course to others. 
— Madeleine 

Thanks for a great workshop.  It is a wonderful way to learn and the creativity in the making of the videos is  inspiring.
— Mary

I wanted to let you know how seamless you have made this learning experience for me. Your knowledge, print and video instruction was very clear and concise. I'm happy with all of the inks made through the various processes/techniques and supplies suggested. I can't wait for the next module to drop and look forward to a follow-up course in the near future!
— Shirley 

Thank you for an amazing class! This is by far the best online class I have taken.  So thoughtful in the design, pacing, materials and Q&A format. And so very beautifully produced. I look forward to coming to Vancouver again one day and visiting your shops and hopefully taking a class in person. But in the meantime, I look forward to more online classes with you! Thank you so much for all your wonderful efforts in making this such a great class.
— Fran 

I teared up a little, watching that last video - I think that's the first time a workshop has left such an emotional impression. Bravo. I absolutely loved this workshop. The format works very well, I learned a lot, I'm inspired, and it was quite soothing to watch - something I really appreciate right now. 
— Fazia

Jason Logan, author of Make Ink and founder of the Toronto Ink Company recently interviewed instructor Tim McLaughlin for his newsletter "The Colour" You can read that issue here.




See All Workshops




— Create a Teachable account in advance by enrolling in one of our free lessons.

—Have your Teachable login details ready on registration day. Be sure to enter a valid email address as this is how we will be communicating.

—Supply & Equipment List can be found on workshop sales pages.Workshop pages are listed here at maiwa.teachable.com.

STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?

Read our FAQs here


Watch the Maiwa School of Textiles Trailer and Teaser below



schooloftextiles.com

Tuesday, March 28, 2023 No comments


THREADS OF RURAL LIFE: BENGAL
And so, in the end, all of our threads come together: dyeing, weaving, craft, life.  


EMPHASIZING THE HAND IN HAND WEAVE
We would like to show you some of the weaver's hands at work. We visited them recently at their looms. For us there is nothing like a weavers hands above a warp of naturally dyed threads. It is quite incredible to watch them pick out a single thread from the hundreds in the warp, pluck it gently to judge its tension, and quickly move on to the next. In the late afternoon the sun touches the bobbins and the shuttles begin to fly.









HAND STITCHED AND DYED INDIGO QUILTS
One or two-of a-kind only


A patterned performance on each piece. Stitched lines, hand dyed threads, finished edges. Cushion covers skillfully embroidered to imitate weave structures. Comfort in cloth: for your bed, your chair, your couch, yourself. 

See All Handstitched Indigo Quilts

See All Cushion Covers






See All Bedding






MAIWA FEATURED
on the
THREADS OF SUSTAINABILITY PODCAST

with Bridget O’Flaherty

Episode 11: Sustainable Natural Dyes with Maiwa

Host, Bridget O’Flaherty speaks with Maiwa founder Charllotte Kwon about natural dyes, certification for organic cotton, Maiwa's origins and the sustainable future of textiles and craft. 


 
To our U.S. customers – don't forget that the exchange rate works in your favour, it's like an extra discount.

Thursday, March 23, 2023 No comments



APRIL 3rd AT 9am PACIFIC TIME

JOURNEY INTO INDIGO
ONLINE

WITH SOPHENA KWON & DANIELLE BUSH

Read about your instructors Sophena Kwon and Danielle Bush 



JOURNEY INTO INDIGO TRAILER

Watch the Trailer Here


Learn to build a range of indigo vats including organic vats made with fruits, the iron vat, and vats made with plants. Learn a wealth of introductory and advanced shaped resist techniques on silk, linen, and cotton. Learn how to handle materials in the dye vat to get the most from indigo.
 
 
Over 40 detailed instructional videos with written instructions and downloadable PDF's. All shaped resist techniques shown with clear, step by step instructions.

Works taken from blank cloth to finished piece so you can see the entire process.

An in-depth explanation of the chemistry of indigo extraction and indigo vats so you can learn how and why they work.

Discover why indigo is the worlds most magical dye.

See Full Online Workshop Details Here

Online Workshop begins May 8, 2023

This online workshop is designed to be done anywhere in the world in your home or studio. It features a robust Q&A section with instructors directly answering student questions.



See what people are saying about Journey Into Indigo:
 
What an amazing journey! The workshop has been my go-to for relaxation and enjoyment during this crazy past year. The entire program is so well produced that I feel like I can go forward and keep learning from my experiences with the indigo process.  

Sophena and Danielle are a terrific team and contributed immensely to the journey! Thank you everyone at Maiwa  that was associated with the workshop! 
— Ruth Ann 

Thank you so much for this course! It was very informative, approachable and inspiring. It has been a great pleasure learning for you both, thanks for sharing your wealth of knowledge with us. I can't wait to put into practice what I've learned!
— Lourdes

Such a fantastic class, I don't want this to be over.  I have delayed the last module for 2 weeks, just to savor a little longer. Great job by all. Thank you for this opportunity.
— Beth

I have enjoyed this class. I have watched the videos several times and read through the Q&A.  I have learned LOTS! Thanks for being pandemic creative and doing this as an online class.  I would not have been able to attend this in person. I also love that I have this class at my finger tips for three years. 
— Lisa 

Big thank you to Sophena and Dani for a wonderful class - perfect pacing through this winter's lockdown. The weekly introduction of new topics gave us time to experiment and learn all the new skills without the rush of speedier workshops. The Q & A sections are a big help too.  
— Mary

Sophena & Danielle, Thanks so much for a great workshop. I'm not new to Shibori and Indigo but I learned a ton. I felt that this workshop was even better than some in person courses. Here we were really in charge of our own vats and got to learn what to do, and when to do it. It was great having a few vats going at the same time and I loved seeing the subtle differences in the shades. I feel much more confident and in charge of my blues and I have some fresh inspiration when it comes to the resists.   
— Kathi

I really don't want this to end! What an amazing workshop. The next best thing to 'real' workshops, with beautifully filmed instruction and expert, patient guidance through all our queries. I can highly recommend this for anyone interested in indigo. Thank you all at the Maiwa team for creating such a great resource for us.    
— Lisa


See All Workshops





TANNINS, OXIDES, & INDIGO WORKSHOP
ONLINE

WITH NATALIE GRAMBOW


Read about your instructor Natalie Grambow 



TANNINS, OXIDES, & INDIGO WORKSHOP TRAILER

Watch the Trailer Here


This groundbreaking workshop will lead students through a number of projects on silk, cotton, linen, wool, and paper. Through contact printing, immersion baths, bundling and binding techniques, and the magic of indigo, this workshop will explore new, uncharted territory on textiles.
  
38 evocative instructional videos with written instructions and downloadable PDF's.
Work with 7 unique immersion baths including indigo.
Learn a variety of binding techniques including clamp, wrap, and shaped resist.
Complete the course with a body of work exploring the remarkable patterning potential of tannins, oxides, and indigo.

See Full Online Workshop Details Here

Online Workshop begins May 22, 2023

This online workshop is designed to be done anywhere in the world in your home or studio. It features a robust Q&A section with instructors directly answering student questions.


See what people are saying about Tannins, Oxides, & Indigo:
 
Absolutely fabulous!  The palette and patterns created by the rust, tannins and indigo resonates with me in my own journey with colour and cloth, and I am looking forward to integrating these techniques into my practice. I am very grateful for how generously Natalie shared her experience, with such delight in her process and grace in her manner.
— Morgen

I echo everyone's comments on the wonderful quality of your teaching, clear instruction, and inspirational thoughts. I miss meeting in person, but we can learn at an amazing pace in the virtual world and experiment in our own time and space. Thank you for a world of inspiration.
 — Carrole

This course has opened up all my sensibilities from art, science and nature. I loved gathering the metal pieces, watching the development of rust, it was pure exploration in every module. I have learned so much from you and appreciate everything you and Maiwa have put together.
— Suzanne  

Ate breakfast in tears ! So much I want to say and share. Thank you all, thank you Natalie for everything, but especially for the affirmation that there are other ways of seeing and showing others what can be seen.
— Liza

Through this great journey with a calm, peacefull & so generous person, it is like listening to music and being part of nature.  Your teaching goes far beyond the techniques.  Thank you so much Natalie.
— Marie

Natalie,
This course has been just exactly what it should be for me!  It introduced me to new techniques (I am now constantly musing about whether something will rust), given us enough time to do each new technique and then repeat, and then encouraged us to mix and match.  Your examples have been clear and easy to follow, backed up by your responses to our questions.  I have loved every minute of this learning and am delighted with the results! In addition, you have been charming in the videos, and I feel like I know you.
— Jane

Thank you for all your hard work putting together such a wonderful class. The videos made me feel like I was in the room with you. You shared so much knowledge. It was nice to have a whole week to process it and take my time with each module. I enjoyed my Monday mornings watching the videos and planning my week. The 'clothes line' of samples on the wall of my studio give me so much inspiration.
— Patty

Natalie - your instruction and presentation has been akin to  a Bailey's in front of a warm fireplace.   Thank you.
 — Gwen



See All Workshops



Create a Teachable account in advance by enrolling in one of our free lessons or signing up to watch one of our free documentaries.

Have your Teachable login details ready on registration day. Be sure to enter a valid email address as this is how we will be communicating.

Supply & Equipment List can be found on workshop sales pages.Workshop pages are listed here at maiwa.teachable.com.

STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?

Read our FAQs here


Watch the Maiwa School of Textiles Trailer and Teaser below



schooloftextiles.com

Tuesday, March 21, 2023 No comments
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      • 63 Hankies, Dyeing and Wild Heather — Natural Dyes...
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