Knitters are always looking for the perfect colour–or that elusive colour in between the two they have in their stash. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could colour your own yarns using natural dyes?

In this workshop students will learn ways to naturally dye wool yarns. They will also learn how to overdye  wool yarns so that they can coordinate their stash.  Students will learn how to create a palate that is vat-efficient and conserves water.

The class will work through a progressive series of natural dye exercises to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to dye wool for their own knitting projects. Students will learn to dye so that colours are as lightfast and colourfast as possible. When the three days are complete, participants will have produced a sample book of colours on wool, with recipes to guide future work, in addition to having dyed their own projects.

Fibres are provided for this workshop; however, students are welcome to bring up to 200gms of wool from their own stash. Hand-spun wool yarns are also welcome.

Natalie Grambow has an extensive background in design, teaching, and textile arts. An accredited Interior Designer, she spent many years in Ottawa working within the architectural design field and teaching Design Theory. Natalie’s first deep exploration of textiles began during her Visual Arts/Photography studies at the University of Ottawa when she experimented with non-silver techniques of transferring photographic imagery onto cloth. She subsequently studied at the École d’Impression Textile à Montréal and later travelled to Asia and Latin America where she spent six months learning to weave with local Mayan weavers in Guatemala. Shortly after completing the Textile Arts program at Capilano College in 2001, she was awarded the BC Craft Association’s Award of Excellence. 

Natalie has exhibited her textile art installations in the Lower Mainland, Vancouver, Vancouver Island, and the Sunshine Coast. She  has also developed a line of naturally dyed and printed fabrics and has been commissioned by such clients as the city of North Vancouver. Currently living in Roberts Creek, BC, she continues her art practice and studies from her studio.