Natural Dye Workshop: Indigo (Fold, Clamp, Resist) with Amy Garbark

Natural Dye Workshop: Indigo (Fold, Clamp, Resist) with Amy Garbark

Date: Thursday, December 18, 2025

Time: 6pm-9pm

Description: In this beginner friendy workshop, participants will become familiar with the incredible plant, Japanese Indigo (persicaria tinctoria) in a small group setting. Indigo has been used to dye textiles for thousands of years!

Workshop participants will learn about indigo and a variety of shibori techniques to prepare fabric for dyeing in a natural indigo vat. Shibori is a process of creating patterns on fabric through processes of folding, binding, and clamping (and more!) and dyeing. The shape created by the folds and clamps create a beautiful blue and white pattern when dyed in indigo.

Participants will then dip the prepared and folded fabric into the indigo vat and repeat the process of dipping and oxidizing until the desired depth of blue is achieved, before unbinding our beautiful fabrics! Workshop participants will be able to choose between a variety of materials for dyeing: bandana, pillowcase, cloth napkins, etc. Participants may also bring 1 x article of clothing, fabric, etc. from home to dye. All fabric should be 100% natural fiber like cotton or linen and washed thoroughly.

Each participant will go home with their own custom made, unique, indigo dyed piece! All materials included and supplied.

Tuition: $65+ $20 materials fee

Note: We really want you to join us in the studio! Full and partial tuition scholarships are available to offset some of the financial burden of attending a class.

Please fill out the application here! You can expect to hear from someone on the CC staff within 2 weeks.

If you have any questions, email Jamie Boyle, Fibers Program Manager, at jboyle@contemporarycraft.org, or leave a voice message for them at 412-465-1639.

Materials: All materials provided.

Location: Contemporary Craft, Timmons Studios (5688 Butler St., Pittsburgh, PA 15201). Note, this workshop will take place in the Beth Wainwright Dye Lab, which is located on the second floor of the Timmons Studio building.

There are 2 entrances to the Timmons Studios.

• One entrance is facing Butler Street. To access the second floor from the Butler Street facing entrance, there are a total of 32 stairs to ascend.

• One entrance is facing 57th Street. This entrance is accessible by ramp, with no stairs to ascend. There is a lift inside the building to access the second floor.

If there are accessibility accommodations we can provide, or if there is anything you would like us to know before you arrive, please feel free to call Jamie Boyle at 412-465-1639 or email jboyle@contemporarycraft.org.

Cancellations and Refunds: Workshop cancellations are decided three business days before the start date. If workshops must be cancelled due to insufficient enrollment, the entire class fee will be refunded through Eventbrite, or you may leave your workshop fee in your Contemporary Craft account for future workshops.

Refund Policy: Student refund requests must be made at least three business days before a class begins. There will be a $25 cancellation fee. No refunds will be given without three-business days notice. Processing of refunds takes approximately three weeks.

About the artist: Amy Garbark is an artist and maker who operates garbella, a studio and business in Pittsburgh, PA.  She is a printmaker, textile artist, natural dyer and general fiber arts and surface design enthusiast who loves learning new things.