Learn Eco-Printing in the Macedon Ranges

Step into the magical world of eco-printing and discover how simple spontaneous leaf prints can be created using locally gathered plants, mordants and common metals.

This workshop will give you an introduction to eco-printing where you learn the basic techniques and discover what is possible, ready to go home and continue your dying experiments. The workshop will include printing on paper and textiles and each participant will have their own paper prints, silk scarf and textile samples to take home at the end.

You will be taken through the whole process of eco-dyeing with demonstrations and hands-on experience of techniques, examples of different effects that can be created, and plenty of scope to start from basic techniques and then trial different plants, metals, and wrapping techniques.

While we wait for our prints to develop, you will have a delicious locally sourced lunch and a coffee to keep you going through out the day! During this time, we’ll have a discussion about the various properties and types of papers that can be used for dyeing.

We will then look at how to mordant fabric including calico (cotton/cellulose fibers) in comparison to silk (protein fibers) and then how to use the skills learnt in the morning session to print onto your silk scarf.

All materials, tools, and a variety of plants sustainably and mindfully collected from around the Macedon Ranges are provided, but anyone who has a favourite plant in their garden that they wish to trial is more than welcome to bring it along (dried or fresh).