Join me at the Southeastern Quilt and Textile Museum in Carrollton, Georgia for a day getting to know your indigo vat! I’ll share my knowledge of Indigo, a fascinating plant with a complex history, and Shibori, a Japanese manual resist technique for creating complex, unique patterns on fabric. Participants will first learn how to dye natural fiber goods with indigo and how to maintain vats for longest lasting color. Participants will then learn several resist and shibori techniques, with a concentration on folded, tied and clamped resist.

The instructor will provide a ½ yard of fabric per student for experimentation, but participants should bring their own goods to dye. Goods from home should be made from natural fibers, and cellulose (cotton, linen) accepts color best. Pre-wash all fabric in hot water before the workshop. 

Participants should wear old clothing that can be stained, including shoes, or bring an apron. Participants should bring a pair of rubber gloves with a high sleeve, like dishwashing gloves.

Cost is $80, must pre-register.

Registration can be found here.

Registration can be found by clicking here.

Join me at the Southeastern Quilt + Textile Museum for an exploration of hand-stitching and Sashiko!

After a deep dive into the basic tools of stitching – thread, needles, fabric – participants will learn tips and tricks to create satisfying, even stitches on fabric for mending, embellishment, mixed media, or just for the sake of making. Participants will learn the basics behind hand-stitching, as well as several stitches and concepts from Sashiko stitching. Sashiko is a traditional Japanese embroidery technique, used as both decorative embellishment and utilitarian repair. Participants will learn three stitching patterns, with each introducing new skills, making samples of each of those patterns, and will finish the day with a larger piece of their own design.

Students are provided with naturally dyed fabric for stitching on, along with Sashiko thread and other naturally dyed thread for stitching with. Participants will leave with 3 stitched samples, and a plan for a larger stitched piece. If you have special fabric at home that you would prefer to stitch on, please bring it!

I will have stitch kits available for purchase, including naturally dyed fabric and thread, if you’d like more materials to work with at home.

PROVIDED BY INSTRUCTOR:

· Naturally dyed fabric

· Naturally dyed thread

· Needles, threader, snips and all sewing materials

· Rulers and marking pens

OPTIONAL EXTRAS PROVIDED BY STUDENTS:

· Special fabric, clothing or home good for embellishment

· Any preferred sewing notions, like special thimbles, snips or threaders

Cost is $75.00, must Pre-Register.

Registration can be found by clicking here.

Registration can be found here.

Join me at the Mobile Museum of Art in Mobile, AL for a day getting to know your indigo vat! Participants will first learn how to dye natural fiber goods with indigo and how to maintain vats for longest lasting color. Participants will learn several resist and shibori techniques, with a concentration on folded, tied and clamped resist.

The instructor will provide a yard of fabric per student for experimentation, but participants should bring their own goods to dye. Goods from home should be made from natural fibers, and cellulose (cotton, linen, rayon) accepts color best. Pre-wash all fabric in hot water before the workshop.

Participants should wear old clothing that can be stained, including shoes, or bring an apron. Participants should bring a pair of rubber gloves with a high sleeve, like dishwashing gloves.

Registration can be found here.

Registration can be found here.

I’m thrilled to be leading a Creative Mending workshop on 9/30 at Studio by the Tracks in Irondale, AL! Registration will open soon.

We’ll learn techniques to be used for patching, mending and reinforcing beloved worn clothing. Techniques can be used for both inconspicuous mends, as well as bold visible mending. This workshop will focus on woven fabrics, like linen, cotton and denim, and not knit or stretch fabrics.

Participants will need to select 1 garment that needs some love, with the space needing repair measuring no more than about 3 x 3 inches. The knees or back pockets of denim, button plackets, or the worn elbows of a shirt are perfect for this.

Aaron will provide naturally dyed and vintage fabric scraps for patching, along with necessary marking tools, threads and mending notions. Participants are highly encouraged to bring fabrics and threads that are special to them to utilize in their mending as well.

Materials:

Provided by instructor:
-naturally dyed and vintage fabrics for patching
- Naturally dyed and undyed thread
- all mending notions

Other materials like rotary cutters, cutting mats, marking pens and more will be available for everyone to use.

Provided by students:
-if you have a hand-sewing materials you enjoy using (specific needles, scissors, thimbles, threaders, etc), please feel free to bring those in addition to what is provided by Aaron
-if there are special fabrics from home

Registration can be found here.

Join me at the Alabama Folk School for a day of exploring natural dyes! Using both garden-grown and foraged plants--including marigolds, sumac, black walnut and indigo--we'll learn the basics of bundle dyeing, flower pounding, and manual resist dyeing techniques for creating patterns on fabric. Participants will learn to prepare their fabric for dyeing, and how to employ pH shifts to increase their natural palette.

All tuition includes lunch with live music.

More information and registration can be found here.

Join me at Wild Violet Gardens in Birmingham, AL! I’ll be leading a morning workshop in indigo dyeing + shibori, and Ms Annie Bryant will be leading a hand-sewn mini quilt workshop in the afternoon. A farm fresh lunch is included in your $100 donation.

This workshop is currently full but Wild Violet Gardens is offering one no-pay spot. If you’re interested, e-mail wildvioletgardens@gmail.com and a person will be chosen at random to receive this spot. If you’d like to be put on a waitlist for a paid spot, you can also e-mail wildvioletgardens@gmail.com.

Registration can be found here.

Using marigolds, cosmos, and other favorites from Aaron’s dye garden, participants will explore various ways of passing the beautiful colors of flowers to fiber in longlasting ways, including bundle dyeing, immersion dyeing and shibori.

Students are provided with a scarf for bundle dyeing and a handkerchief for experimenting. Participants are encouraged to bring 1-2 additional small homegoods or accessories. These items must be made of natural fiber, and should be thoroughly pre-washed before the workshop.

Participants should wear old clothing that can be stained, including shoes, or bring an apron. ​This workshop is limited to participants 18+. There is a minimum of 8 participants and a maximum of 15. If the minimum is not met, participants will be refunded. 

​

Please email Mary Bell, Program Director, at mbell@kentuck.org with any questions. 

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Kentuck workshops are non-refundable after the registration closes. If you would like to cancel before the deadline passes, please email mbell@kentuck.org or call 205-758-1257. If the class does not meet the minimum by the registration deadline and the workshop is cancelled, all participants will be refunded their registration fees.

Registration can be found here.

Participants will need to select 1-2 garments that need some love, with the space needing repair measuring no more than about 4 x 4 inches. The knees or back pockets of denim, button plackets, or the worn elbows of a shirt are perfect for this. If your space needing mending is on the larger size, simply e-mail a photo to Aaron before the workshop to talk it out and see what might be possible.

 Aaron will provide naturally dyed and vintage fabric scraps for patching, along with necessary marking tools, threads and mending notions. Participants are highly encouraged to bring fabrics and threads that are special to them to utilize in their mending as well.

Participants will leave with several stitched swatches as well as several repairs in various states of completion.

Materials:

Provided by instructor:
-naturally dyed and vintage fabrics for patching
- Naturally dyed and undyed thread
- all mending notions

Other materials like rotary cutters, cutting mats, marking pens and more will be available for everyone to use.

Provided by students:
-if you have a hand-sewing materials you enjoy using (specific needles, scissors, thimbles, threaders, etc), please feel free to bring those in addition to what is provided by Aaron
-if there are special fabrics from home, or beloved fabric scraps, please bring those as well. 

Manx refers to the name of the native Celtic people from the Isle of Man, an island located in the middle of the Irish Sea between England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. The earliest known example of Manx patchwork dates back to about 1820. The Manx quilt block is named after the Isle of Man where it originates. With its wonderful history and beautiful technique, this class is perfect for seasoned stitchers, as well as those taking their first steps into the world of hand quilting.

Participants will leave with 1-2 finished blocks, and small pouch with a button closure made from a block.

Materials:

Provided by instructor:
-naturally dyed fabrics for piecing your quilt
-muslin for foundation squares
-thread
-needles

Other materials like rotary cutters, cutting mats, marking pens and more will be available for everyone to use.

Provided by students:
-if you have a hand-sewing materials you enjoy using (specific needles, scissors, thimbles, threaders, etc), please feel free to bring those in addition to what is provided by Aaron
-if there are special fabrics from home, or beloved fabric scraps, please bring those as well. Pieces used will vary in size from approximately 2 x 2 inches to 3 x 9 inches, so small scraps are definitely usable for this project.

registration can be found by clicking here.

Join me in the beautiful Hill Country of Texas at the Hill Country Arts Foundation for a day spent coaxing color from beautiful Goldenrod, Marigolds) and Indigo.  The Hill Country Arts Foundation is located in a beautiful setting on the Guadalupe River, and is truly one of my favorite places to teach.

We’ll begin the day by exploring beautiful goldenrod and marigolds, while discussing how to best harvest it and how to best prepare the plant for dyeing, as well as bundle dyeing techniques.

While the flowers stew, we’ll explore the process of creating beautiful shades of blue on natural fibers. Aaron will also cover a series of resist techniques, with a focus on folded, tied and clamped resist, to create beautiful manual resist patterns on fabric. Using previously dyed (marigold/goldenrod) fabric, we’ll create shades of green, and use resist techniques to create interesting layers of natural color.

We’ll remove fabric from the goldenrod pot at the end of the day for participants to take home. Participants will leave with marigold/goldenrod dyed fabric, indigo dyed fabric, fabric dyed with combinations of natural materials, bundle dyed fabric, and the knowledge to forage for future dyes.

Provided by Aaron

• Fabric for dyeing

• All indigo and shibori materials

Provided by Students

• High-sleeved rubber gloves, like dishwashing gloves

• Additional fabric for dyeing with indigo. Natural materials only, with cellulose fibers working best. Pre-wash in hot water before workshop. Bring lots!

More information can be found here: http://www.hcaf.com/2022-workshops/
To register, e-mail visualarts@hcaf.com.

Join me in the beautiful Hill Country of Texas at the Hill Country Arts Foundation for a day exploring Indigo and Shibori! The Hill Country Arts Foundation is located in a beautiful setting on the Guadalupe River, and is truly one of my favorite places to teach.

Participants will first learn how to dye natural fiber goods with indigo and how to maintain vats for longest lasting color. Participants will learn several resist and shibori techniques, with a concentration on folded, tied and clamped resist. 

The instructor will provide a yard of fabric per student for experimentation, but participants should bring their own goods to dye. Goods from home should be made from natural fibers, and cellulose (cotton, linen, rayon) accepts color best. Pre-wash all fabric in hot water before the workshop. 

Participants should wear old clothing that can be stained, including shoes, or bring an apron. Participants should bring a pair of rubber gloves with a high sleeve, like dishwashing gloves.

More information can be found here: http://www.hcaf.com/2022-workshops/
To register, e-mail visualarts@hcaf.com.

Register here.

Join Aaron Sanders Head Head for an exploration of hand-stitching and Sashiko!

After a deep dive into the basic tools of stitching - thread, needles, fabric - participants will learn tips and tricks to create satisfying, even stitches on fabric for mending, embellishment, mixed media, or just for the sake of making. Participants will learn the basics behind hand-stitching, as well as several stitches and concepts from Sashiko stitching. Participants will learn three stitching patterns, with each introducing new skills, making samples of each of those patterns, and will finish the day with a larger piece of their own design.

Students are provided with naturally dyed fabric for stitching on, along with Sashiko thread and other naturally dyed thread for stitching with. Participants will leave with 3 stitched samples, and one larger stitched piece. Aaron will provide shibori-dyed fabric for your larger stitched piece, but if you have fabric at home that you would prefer to use, please bring it!

Aaron will have stitch kits available for purchase, including naturally dyed fabric and thread, if you'd like more materials to work with at home.

PROVIDED BY INSTRUCTOR:

· Naturally dyed fabric
· Naturally dyed thread
· Needles, threader, snips and all sewing materials
· Rulers and marking pens

OPTIONAL EXTRAS PROVIDED BY STUDENTS:

· Special fabric, clothing or home good for embellishment
· Any preferred sewing notions, like special thimbles, snips or threaders

Register here.

Register here.

Join Aaron for a day spent coaxing color from beautiful Goldenrod and Indigo.

We’ll begin the day discussing how to best harvest golden rod and how to best prepare the plant for dyeing. The goldenrod will need to stew most of the day.

Using a ferrous iron vat, Aaron will guide participants through the process of creating beautiful shades of blue on natural fibers. Aaron will also cover a series of resist techniques, with a focus on folded, tied and clamped resist, to create beautiful manual resist patterns on fabric. Using previously dyed goldenrod fabric, we’ll create shades of green, and use resist techniques to create interesting layers of natural color.

We’ll remove fabric from the goldenrod pot at the end of the day for participants to take home. Participants will leave with goldenrod dyed fabric, indigo dyed fabric, fabric dyed with combinations of natural materials, and the knowledge to forage for future dyes.

Provided by Aaron

• Fabric for dyeing with goldenrod

• Fabric for experimenting with indigo

• All indigo and shibori materials

Provided by Students

• High-sleeved rubber gloves, like dishwashing gloves

• Additional fabric for dyeing with indigo. Natural materials only, with cellulose fibers working best. Pre-wash in hot water before workshop. Bring lots!

Register here.

Join me at Kentuck Art Center in downtown Northport, AL for a day getting to know your indigo vat! Participants will first learn how to dye natural fiber goods with indigo and how to maintain vats for longest lasting color. Participants will learn several resist and shibori techniques, with a concentration on folded, tied and clamped resist. 

I will provide a yard of fabric per student for experimentation, but participants should bring their own goods to dye. Goods from home should be made from natural fibers, and cellulose (cotton, linen, rayon) accepts color best. Pre-wash all fabric in hot water before the workshop. 

Participants should wear old clothing that can be stained, including shoes, or bring an apron. Participants should bring a pair of rubber gloves with a high sleeve, like dishwashing gloves.

This workshop will be held on October 29, 2022 from 10 AM-2 PM. We will not have a formal lunch break, but please bring snacks or a quick lunch if needed. 

Registration can be found here.

Come spend the afternoon exploring the beautiful Fall palette of Hale County’s natural dyes. We’ll experiment with Black Walnuts and Goldenrod, and add in locally grown Indigo for an even broader spectrum of color.
Workshop will cover:
- foraging for Black Walnuts and Goldenrod
-preparing dye baths
-mordants
-resist techniques.

Participants should bring several natural fiber items for dyeing. More details will be sent to participants about what to bring.

Purchase ticket here.

CLASS DATE: Sunday, July 17, 1-5pm
LOCATION: Oil and Cotton Studio
INSTRUCTOR: Aaron Sanders Head
NUMBER OF STUDENTS: 8-15

In this workshop, Aaron Sanders Head will share multiple techniques for using homegrown or foraged flowers to create long lasting, beautiful colors on textiles. This workshop will focus on marigolds and cosmos, with some other seasonal favorites thrown in, with Aaron covering:

1. Mordanting your fabric to achieve long-lasting colors

2. Immersion dyeing for solid colors

3. Bundle dyeing to create unique patterns on fabric

4. pH shifts to expand your palette of color

5. Flower pounding

   Aaron will provide a yard of mordanted fabric for experimentation and all required dye materials. Participants should bring a pair of high-sleeved rubber gloves, several plastic bags for transporting wet fiber, and several small, natural fiber items for dyeing. Silk, Wool, Linen, Cotton and any natural fibers work beautifully, but no synthetics or blends as they will not take the dye as satisfyingly. Participants should wear an apron or dress in clothing that they don’t mind getting stained.

   Purchase ticket here.

Purchase tickets here.

CLASS DATE: Saturday July 16, 11am-2pm
LOCATION: Oil and Cotton
INSTRUCTOR: Aaron Sanders Head

In this workshop, participants will learn to make a folded Log Cabin Quilt Block, or a Manx Quilt Block. The quilt block is a distinctive take on a log cabin block, utilizing a series of unique but easy measurements based on the hand of the maker, making each block unique to the person who created it. Traditionally the fabric was torn, not cut. A simple folding technique gives this block a gorgeous, textural, heavy finish and stitches up quickly. Aaron will be demonstrating the traditional way of sewing this by hand, but stitchers will easily see how this can be done on a machine, if so desired at home.

Manx refers to the name of the native Celtic people from the Isle of Man, an island located in the middle of the Irish Sea between England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. The earliest known example of Manx patchwork dates back to about 1820. The Manx quilt block is named after the Isle of Man where it originates. With its wonderful history and beautiful technique, this class is perfect for seasoned stitchers, as well as those taking their first steps into the world of hand quilting.

Class Kit Includes:
-naturally dyed fabric (enough to make six 10 x 10 in. blocks, roughly 1.5 yards total in 4 different shades), and muslin for backing/foundation piecing
-needle
-thread for stitching and tying quilt

Purchase tickets here.

Stay tuned for more information on this donation-based workshop in Birmingham, AL at Studio by the Tracks!