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About Cheryl > Workshops and Apprenticeships

Workshops and Apprenticeships

Date: TBA

Scarf

Paint dyed scarf

Scarf

Paint dyed scarf

Cheryl

Indigo dyed fabric

Cheryl is back teaching her amazing Natural Dye workshop. This is professional level training, suitable for beginners to advanced practitioners. In the 30 years Cheryl has been teaching, students have come from as far away as China, Thailand and Latin America to learn with her. Cheryl is the senior Natural Dyer in the world.

Learn hands-on about natural dyes and natural dyeing in this fun, in-depth workshops. You get individual instruction as each workshop is limited to eight students, and each student chooses which type of material to learn to dye: fabric, yarn, fibre; cotton, hemp, silk, wool, or whatever natural material you choose to bring yourself. Please call (503) 286-4149  if you have special needs or desires.

Workshop covers:
· dyeing with Indigo, Fustic, Madder, Brazilwood, Logwood, and Cochineal, plus any other dye of interest to the registered students.

We will dye at least 16 colours, by immersion dyeing in pots, including but not limited to:

Hi Cheryl,
  I just wanted to tell you again how wonderful it was to meet and study with you.  Having working knowledge of this quickly disappearing art is enriching.

- E. M.
  • Black with Logwood.
  • Turkey Red.
  • Red with Brazilwood.
  • Scarlet, Rose, Magenta, and Plum with Cochineal.
  • Blues and Greens with Indigo.
  • Yellows with Fusticwood.
  • Purples, Greys, and soft Greens with Logwood.
  • We will extensively cover:
    · use of mordants including re-use and dyework safety.
    · choice of yarns and fibre, special handling issues.
    · techniques and principles of natural dyes: this is not just a demo recipe class! You will leave fully able to do all this dyework on your own - and I follow up with phone call consulting!
  • We will also "Surface Design" two lengths of silk fabric. Exact technique will be your choice: Paint-dye, Japanese and or African style Fold Resist, Japanese style stitch resist "Shibori", block printing with the hand carved blocks from India, Stencil printing from our own designs.

Cost:
$990 per student -- includes all materials, books, etc., (at least $200 worth).  The materials are customized for each student, so if you want fabrics, yarn or fibre, that's what you will learn to dye.

Terms:
50% deposit holds your place. Balance due on completion.

WORKSHOP DEPOSIT   $495
Dates: TBA

 

"Hello Cheryl,
It is so good to hear from you.  Yes, devotion is ageless.  Having you in my life, in my thoughts,  has been a continued blessing, a constant reminder  of our love for silk and natural dyes with their healing properties.  I have yet to meet anyone else that shares that desire, that knowing.  I am following my dream, trusting and believing in my own yearnings.  From the first time I met you in the 80's I have wanted to create healing clothing.  I better do it now or it won't get done.  I appreciate you and your work and consider you my master teacher."

- Donna

Location:
Workshops are held at Aurora Silk's business cottage and dye studio in Portland, Oregon.

Cheryl’s workshops consistently fill up well in advance. Please don't wait to secure your spot.

Class includes instruction in the various qualities of silk and silk fabrics, as well as other natural fibres such as cotton and hemp.

Provided:

  • All dyes and materials.
  • All equipment.
  • Your choice of either silk fabric or silk yarns or silk fibre for the sixteen basic colours listed above. Or other fibre if preferred: cotton, hemp, wool.
  • Two silk lengths for surface design fun.
  • Brilliant colours on Silk - Cheryl's book of recipes and articles on Natural Dyeing on silk and other fibres, which includes a colour chart of 33 representative colours on silk yarn. And the advanced dye book by Gardner, which is one of the best technical references on the classic natural dyes of commerce.
  • Workshop is personally tailored to your needs.

Cheryl has been conducting Natural Dye workshops since 1979. Many students have gone on to professional/semi-professional careers using Natural Dyes.

An optional PLUS: If you'd like to stay an extra day, Cheryl will personally escort you to the Pendleton Historic Woolen Mill and the National Scenic Columbia River Gorge - one of the Natural Wonders of the World.