Private Textile Workshops
Kristy teaches a variety of textile workshops throughout South Carolina. She hosts private classes at her home studio in Charleston and can be booked for a workshop at a place of business or onsite for a particular event.
There are four workshop choices available: Intro to Indigo, Intro to Natural Dyes, Screenprinting Clay Resist and Indigo, and Natural Paint making and are described below.
Intro to Indigo:
Participants will have the chance to learn about the history of this dye plant as it pertains to South Carolina, the chemistry of a vat, and dye fabric using shibori tie-dye methods. Kristy will focus on itajime (folding and clamped resist), kumo (bound resist), and Arashi (wrapped pole resist). These three techniques all yield unique and beautiful patterns. Attendees will be able to sample these methods on 12” x 12” cotton squares. Once comfortable they will be able to dye a 24” x 24” cotton tea towel and an 11” x 60” crepe de chine silk scarf. In addition, participants are encouraged to bring personal items to dye such as a garment, yarn, or even colored fabric to over-dye.
Intro to Natural Dyes:
Charleston fiber artist, Kristy Bishop will lead workshop participants through the exciting world of natural dyes. We are surrounded by plants that may seem ordinary, but with some knowledge they can yield the richest and most beautiful colors. Whether its onion skins or annatto seeds from the local grocer, goldenrod picked from a roadside, or a more exotic dyes such as indigo, cochineal or madder root that have been cultivated and traded worldwide, participants will learn how to extract color that is lightfast, permanent, and brilliant!
Participants will dye fabric samples of linen, silk, cotton gauze, and wool yarn and record results on dye recipe cards. We’ll learn about the fundamentals of dyeing using mordants and afterbaths and how these variables can alter the color of the dyed fabric. Participants will be able to dye a silk/wool blend 11” x 60” scarf after experimenting with their recipe fabric samples.
Screenprinting Clay Resist and Indigo:
In this workshop participants will learn how to combine screen printing using a clay paste and indigo. Charleston fiber artist Kristy Bishop will demo how to make the clay paste, pulling a print with a silk screen, and dipping dried resist prints into indigo. The rich shades of indigo blue contrast beautifully with the white patterns left behind by the clay. Participants will have the opportunity to create their own stencils as well as use pre-burned screens to print multiples on a variety of fabrics. Clay resist is a wonderful technique that can be applied to printing on clothing, artwork, tote bags, and household goods. Participants will walk away from this workshop with their own stencils, a variety of dyed prints on fabric, and a printed cotton bandana as well as personal items brought to the workshop.
Natural Paint making:
Participants will learn how to turn liquid natural dyes into their very own set of watercolors. Local artist Kristy Bishop will demonstrate the process of extracting color from plant and animal sources, how to lake the dyes (changing the pigments from water soluble to insoluble), straining and drying out the pigments, and then the final step of mulling and mixing the paint. Participants will be able to mull and mix their own paints, use them immediately and save the rest in watercolor pans to use in the future. Watercolor paper will be provided to test newly mixed paints. It is encouraged to bring any extra paper that participants would like to test out their watercolors. Paint-making kits will be available for purchase from the artist. This workshop is perfect for anyone that wants to further their knowledge and skills using natural dyes and for the beginner dyer.