Stitching Resists for Natural Dyes with Griffin Dyeworks

ADDT'L MATERIAL FEE OF $10 CASH PAYABLE TO INSTRUCTOR.

This class will focus on the wide variety of stitched resist patterns used in Shibori dyeing, and how to combine them to create more complex and versatile designs. I?ll have plenty of examples and inspiration, along with designs you can trace or copy freehand, and templates you can use to mark your fabric for stitching. You don?t need to be an expert at sewing or drawing. If you can use a pen and you know how to make a basic running stitch, you?re set!

We will be hand-stitching the resists, which can be time-consuming, though I?ll be teaching some techniques to cut the time down a bit. The materials fee includes bottomless indigo pots, all resist materials needed, and tons of sample-sized pieces of fabric to work on. Students can bring their own small pieces (bandanas, handkerchiefs, baby clothes: as long as they?re natural fibers like cotton, bamboo, silk, or wool) to work on, but there will not be enough time in this class to stitch and dye larger items. You can dye as many pieces as you have time to stitch resists on. The sample-sized pieces can be used in many ways: frame them, make greeting cards with them, use them as patches for visible mending or other appliqué techniques, or use them as part of a small quilting project!

Laura Davis is a fourth generation Californian who has spent the past 20 years living in Los Angeles. She is a lifelong addict to all kinds of textile arts, including crochet & knit, sewing, embroidery, weaving, spinning, dyeing and botanical printing. California is a rich environment for natural dye materials, and Laura spends a great deal of time exploring and discovering, collecting, and experimenting with ways to use our natural bounty in textile arts. Laura has been teaching fiber art classes through Griffin Dyeworks in 2015 and now teaches various dye and other textile arts classes for adults, teens, and children throughout the year.

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The Camera Obscura Art Lab hosts six artists-in-residence annually, and offers workshops with a changing roster of residents and teaching artists. Here you can learn dance moves, polish your writing, sew a seam, check out artists at work and find a creative community!

Web: santamonica.gov/camera
Contact camera@smgov.net & 310-458-2239
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Directions: The Camera Obscura Art Lab is at 1450 Ocean Ave on the west side of Ocean just north of Broadway, in Palisades Park.

Train/Bus: Metro terminus at 4th St/Colorado, 4 blocks away. Upon exiting the station go west on Colorado to Ocean Ave, cross the street to the Pier and go north in the park just past Broadway. metro.net or bigbluebus.com.

Parking is $6 or less for 3 hours in Parking Structure 6 (2nd between Broadway and Santa Monica), and $5 on weekends at the Civic Auditorium lot just down Main Street at 333 Civic Center Dr. Meters on Ocean Avenue; $2/hr maximum 3 hours. More info: smgov.net/parking.

Registration: For fee-based classes, we encourage reserving online with a credit card. Some classes accept drop-ins. Bring cash to cover material fees, if applicable. Refunds/Transfers: Full refunds are given if class is cancelled before taking place - enroll online with confidence. For student withdrawals for any other reason, $15 processing fee for each multisession activity refunded; one-time classes & expended material fees are nonrefundable. Requests must be made in person, by mail, fax (310-899-0840), or email to communityclasses@smgov.net within 24 hours of first class meeting. All class dates, times, locations, and instructors are subject to change.