Tie Dye & Shibori

Welcome to a colorful, hands-on journey into the art of fabric dyeing!

In this workshop, you’ll discover how simple folds, bindings, and resist techniques can transform plain fabric into bold, beautiful works of art. Using time-honoured methods like tie dye and Shibori, you’ll dip fabric into dye vats and watch as pattern and colour emerge in surprising, striking ways. Whether you’re completely new to dyeing or looking to deepen your creative practice, you’ll leave with practical skills, fresh inspiration, and fabric that’s uniquely yours.

Explore the basics of tie dye — a playful and versatile resist-dyeing technique that uses rubber bands, twisting, folding, and binding to create dynamic bursts, spirals, stripes, and organic patterns. You’ll learn how different folds and bindings affect the final design, how to layer colour for depth and contrast, and how to control (or intentionally surrender to!) the beautiful unpredictability of dye.

You can also learn about the rich tradition of Shibori, a Japanese resist-dyeing art form that dates back over 1,000 years. Shibori includes techniques such as stitching, binding around stones, clamping fabric between boards, and carefully folding before dyeing. You’ll gain insight into how these historical methods were developed and how they continue to influence contemporary textile art today. By working with stitching, boards, and stones, you’ll experience how thoughtful preparation leads to intricate, almost magical patterns revealed only after the dyeing process is complete.

During the session, you will:

• Learn multiple resist techniques using rubber bands, stitching, boards, and found objects

• Understand how immersion dyeing works and how to achieve strong, lasting color

• Develop confidence combining colors and predicting pattern outcomes

• Create one-of-a-kind fabric suitable for quilting, sewing, mixed-media art, or home décor

• Dye a wearable item such as a T-shirt or tote bag that reflects your personal style
  
  

By the end of the workshop, you won’t just have dyed fabric — you’ll have the knowledge and skills to continue experimenting at home. You’ll understand how to set up your own dye space, how to plan patterns, and how to integrate hand-dyed textiles into future crafting or quilting projects.

Most of all, you’ll gain the joy of working with color in an immersive, tactile way — slowing down, experimenting, and embracing both intention and happy surprise.

I warmly invite you to join me in setting up and sharing this fabric dyeing experience. Let’s gather materials, prepare the dye vats, and create a welcoming, inspiring space where creativity can unfold — one fold, stitch, and dip at a time. Please drop me a line at tanya@butlerandgrace.co to arrange your workshop.