We have a spot open for rent in the Natural Dyes Studio!
Just south of Sunset and Silver Lake Boulevards in Los Angeles.
$475/mo
When you join the studio you get:
24 hour access
Dedicated storage for own materials
Access to communal supplies like pots, burners, scales, bowls, mixing tools, irons, blenders, washer, spin dryer, rags, gloves, drying racks etc!
has Bathroom
Large sinks!
Plus a bunch of other resources.
The space is set up to execute all kinds of dye and print projects!
Please reach out to me to setup a time to come check it out!
Come learn how to dye with plants and make patterns like these on fabric! Each month through April I'm teaching my #rainbowshibori class where we cover the primary steps of natural dyeing of red, yellow and of course indigo. All at the shop here in Los Angeles. Lovely way to spend a weekend day!
Rainy day here in the shop! Indigo seedlings outside are loving the drizzle!
Check out the link in profile for upcoming Indigo shibori (and other) workshops on the calendar.
March 8-9, 2025 - Natural Dye Yarn dyeing workshop at the studio in Silver lake. It is appropriately titled 'A Rainbow of Color - Natural Dyeing of Yarns' Please join me! Link to workshops in profile.
We will be starting with skeins of both cotton and wool yarn and learning methods for convincing dyes to attach to them!
I have a lifetime endeavor to make one prayer rug. I started 15 years ago and the project brought me deep into my practice of natural dyeing. I call it a hobby but really its a sort of core touchstone of my creative process.
I moved to the Highland Park neighborhood of Los Angeles in 2012 in hopes of studying Persian pile weaving with Babajan who had a lovely cluttered shop on York boulevard but sadly he became ill and passed away just after our initial meeting. Since then, my rug interests have shifted toward the Navajo tradition and I learned to card and spin by watching NAVAJO WEAVER CLARA SHERMAN CARDING AND SPINNING on YouTube hundreds of times. Incredible video and generous resource!
Whenever I'm executing a new process or plant with my natural dye printing, I'll dye a skein of my hand spun Icelandic and add it to the rainbow here. Eventually I'll get to the point where I'll weave these into some kind of rug, maybe before I die.
#rugraham
#naturaldye
I'm teaching this print process in an upcoming class called 'Working with the Indigo'. Check the link to my workshops for the spring listings.
I'd also like to collaborate with designers on uses for this print. If you've got a fun project in mind, I'm all ears!
#naturaldye #katazome #indigo
Support us in Making Air Purifiers for Angelenos (opportunity to donate & receive a naturally dyed HOME print below)
Rose @__plantfriends__ and I are making sets of air filtration systems from MERV 13 filters and box fans that can filter out a meaningful component of smoke, smog, fumes as well as larger particles that continue to be blown around the air in Southern California. These can be more effective than many commercially available indoor fan/air filters.
Each filter system (two filters, one fan and all the fixings) costs us about $50 in materials to make. We hope to make 10+ in the next few days and distribute them through the Los Angeles Tenants Union and directly to those without filtration (we're currently distributing through our tenants union community, and will make sure any surplus goes directly to folks who have been significantly impacted).
We all breathe the air in our homes continuously and don't give much thought to how that can affect our health. Rose and I are concerned about all the newly airborne toxins, smoke from the fires as well as microscopic particles of material from the conflagration of thousands of homes - roofs, insulation, lead paint, glues etc. - and the long term health effects of this exposure. Many of these toxins are not weighted based on toxicity in the AQI making the air quality appear much safer than it likely is...
/news/health/air-quality-index-smoke
Graph comparing filtered indoor air to outdoor air and filter plan courtesy of https://www.pscleanair.gov/525/DIY-Air-Filter
If you're able, we are accepting donations via Venmo @Graham -Keegan. Any amount is welcome and appreciated (no amount too small!). If you donate $50 for a full setup, I'd like to send you a HOME print in thanks. Just put your mailing address in the Venmo transaction. We will donate any excess funds beyond what we're able to make ourselves to @frontlinemedics for their ongoing air purification DIY making & distro efforts <3
Anyone in LA have a cricut maker 3? They'd be willing to loan or work with me to produce a cut? Or a CNC that can cut 12" x 15" or larger? I'm eager to try making a stencil from this traced vintage print.
I'm leading a red-and-white pattern making class next month with the expressed purpose of making cloths for wrapping holiday gifts. We will cover all the info necessary to coax red from the roots of the Madder plant onto fabric just like this then explore a range of ways to use the cloth as wrapped packaging for holiday treats! Link in profile to reserve.
