Mordant Printing and Painting with Natural Dyes

In this class we will explore the world of mordant printing with natural dyes; each participant will design and create their own stamps, and several unique printed cloth pieces dyed with locally grown or foraged plants.

Mordants are substances, generally metallic salts that are used in combination with natural dyes to create lasting colors on cloth. Mordants can shift the tone and saturation of natural dyes such that, with the use of different mordant combinations, a wide range of colors can be created on a single piece of cloth, and even from a single dye vat!

While the mordant process usually involves heating mordant solutions, we will be using cold mordant applications to lay down a background color, and then create thickened mordant pastes to paint and print designs on cotton cloth. Inspired by traditional surface design techniques, we will make at least three dye vats with locally grown and foraged plants (madder, weld, and sumac) to create a wide range of shades and patterns on cloth. We will cover fabric preparation, making a printing surface, stamp making and design, natural dye chemistry and history, as well as post- dyeing fabric care. Students will create a color reference chart on cloth to use in future dyeing endeavors, as well as several samples on cotton.

This class would be great for folks with some natural dyeing and print-making experience, and is suitable for beginners as well.

Skills and Techniques:

• Natural dyeing best prac4ces on cellulose
• Mordantng basics for cellulose fibers
• Making and using concentrated cold mordants on cellulose fibers
• Understanding natural dye and mordant chemistry on cellulose fibers
• Simple stamp-making and design from various accessible materials
• Fabric preparation and post-dyeing treatment best practices
• Gain familiarity with traditional dye plants
• Making a printing board

Materials Fee: $30 paid directly to the instructor.

Special Tools or Equipment to bring: none

Workshop and Cancellation Policies: Please read our 2026 policies before registering for a workshop. https://www.sanbornmills.org/workshop-policies/