Colours from Nature - Introduction to naturally dyeing yarn

Join dye expert Debbie Tomkies, and learn to dye stunning yarn from plant extracts using simple techniques you can repeat at home.

By DT Craft & Design

Date and time

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 18:00 - 20:30 GMT+1

Location

A4 Studios

30 Grosvenor Road Altrincham WA14 1LD United Kingdom

Refund Policy

Refunds up to 7 days before event

About this event

Event lasts 2 hours 30 minutes

Course level:

This introductory taster session is suitable for complete beginners. For those who have done some natural dyeing previously, there is plenty to explore too!

What you will learn:

We'll start with a short introduction to natural dyeing, where the dyes come from etc.

Debbie will then show you some fun natural dyeing techniques – from solid colour (immersion) dyeing, gradients, dip-dye, speckling, handpainting and more.

Next, you’ll dye a 50g ball of lovely wool yarn which you can knit or crochet into a small project.

You can then choose another 100g of undyed yarn from our extensive range of specialist yarns to dye using your choice of techniques.

Debbie will also include a pattern from her own design collection for you to take away so you’ll have a project to take home and make right away!

What's included:

All materials are included - we provide quality materials - lovely yarn, dyeing instructions and a selection of Debbie's own, exclusive patterns. We also include tea, coffee and biccies!

About your tutor:

Debbie has been a hand-dyer for over 30 years. She has worked with yarn companies, hand-dyeing yarns for commercial collections. She also ran successful yarn and fibre dye clubs for a number of years.

Debbie teaches dyeing and printing with both synthetic and natural dyes, including indigo and woad vat dyeing. She works with yarn, fabric and fibres.

Debbie is the author of 6 internationally published books, Hand-Dyed Yarn Craft Projects, Complete Knitting Skills, 250 Knitting Stitches, Knitting.Learn it.Love it, How to Knit and Cable Knitting Dictionary.

When she’s not dyeing, designing, knitting or crocheting, you’ll find her in the garden, tending her dyeplants, enjoying a nice craft beer or hugging a big mug of builders’ tea. And if you’re out and about, she can often be found in the mosh pit at a gig or enjoying some folk music!

Any questions?

If you need any information about this course, please don’t hesitate to get in touch by email (info@dtcrafts.co.uk).

Organised by

DT Craft & Design

Debbie is a knitting & crochet expert with over 30 years' teaching and designing experience.

Debbie is on the in-house knitting expert team for Knit Now magazine and Craftworld and has been producing their how-to features and videos since the magazine started over 10 years ago, prior to which she wrote the technical features for Simply Knitting magazine. Debbie is the author of 5 internationally published books, Hand-Dyed Yarn Craft Projects, Complete Knitting Skills, 250 Knitting Stitches, Knitting.Learn it.Love it and How to Knit.

Debbie has been a hand dyer for over 25 years, working with both synthetic and natural dyes, indigo & woad. She teaches dyeing with yarn & fabrics, printing, botanical (eco) printing, tie dye and more.

In addition to teaching knitting, crochet, felting and dyeing throughout the UK, Debbie also teaches City & Guilds accredited programmes in design and handknitting at Making Futures CIC. Debbie has had over 100 designs published in major magazines over the last 10 years.

When she's not crafting, you'll find Debbie in the garden, tending her dyeplants, enjoying a nice craft beer or hugging a big mug of builders' tea. And if you're out and about, she can often be found in the mosh pit at a gig or enjoying some folk music!