Why I created a One-Year Professional Natural Dyeing Programme and why some things simply can't be learned in a weekend.

Natural dyeing has become wonderfully popular over the past few years.

Every season I see more people discovering the joy of working with plants, fibres and natural colour. It's a craft that connects us to history, the natural world and centuries of accumulated knowledge.

A workshop or short course is often the perfect place to begin. It sparks curiosity, introduces new techniques and gives people the confidence to try something new.

Many students come back with the same questions:

"Why did my colours change?"

"Why did this recipe work once, but not the second time?"

"Which mordant should I choose?"

"Why did one sample fade while another stayed bright?"

Those questions can't be answered with a recipe alone.

They require an understanding of natural dyeing as a whole.

That's why I created the One-Year Professional Natural Dyeing Programme.

Claudia Z. Student 2025 portfolio samples

📖 Recipes are where every natural dyer begins

Recipes are incredibly important.

They are the foundation of good natural dyeing and represent generations of practical knowledge built through observation and experience.

Learning how to prepare fibres correctly, measure accurately, select appropriate mordants and follow a process with care is an essential skill.

But understanding why those recipes work is what allows you to grow beyond simply following instructions.

Throughout the programme we use recipes as teaching tools—building your understanding step by step as each module introduces a new colour, new colour sources and new techniques.

Madder Samples by Lisa C. Student 2026

🌿 Understanding the whole process

Natural dyeing is full of variables.

Different fibres behave differently.

Water chemistry changes.

Plants vary from season to season.

Some dyes produce colours with excellent wash and light fastness, while others are naturally more fugitive.

Rather than trying out hundreds of ways, you'll learn from our proven recipes and understand the principles behind them.

That understanding allows you to make informed decisions and adapt your practice with confidence.

Portfolio by Lisa C. student 2024

📁 Building a portfolio that grows with you

One of the most rewarding parts of the programme is the portfolio you'll create throughout the year.

It's your own professional reference library.

Every module adds carefully documented samples, recipes, observations and comparisons that you can continue to use long after the course has finished.

Whether you're planning future collections, teaching, working with clients or simply experimenting in your own studio, you'll have your own body of knowledge to return to.

Professional dyers don't rely on memory.

They rely on careful observation and well-kept records.

Light test samples by Barbara L. Student 2026

🔬 More than practical dyeing

Natural dyeing is where craft, science and history meet.

Alongside the practical work, we explore the chemistry behind the processes, the historical development of natural dyes and the environmental considerations that are increasingly important in modern textile practice.

Understanding these connections helps you make better decisions—not just in the dye pot, but in the way you approach natural dyeing as a whole.

Working with different kinds of Indigo Vat. Claudia Z. 's hand after an intensive bout of dyeing with Indigo :) Student 2025

🎓 Who is this programme for?

This programme has been designed for people who want to take their natural dyeing further.

Perhaps you're dreaming of opening your own dye studio.

Perhaps you're already a textile artist looking to incorporate natural colour into your work.

Or perhaps you simply want a structured, in-depth understanding of natural dyeing that goes beyond occasional workshops.

Whatever your goal, the emphasis remains the same:

🌿 Learn the craft.

📚 Build your knowledge.

📁 Create a portfolio that continues to support your practice for years to come.

The course includes an optional 4 day in person event, where we will be working closely with dye plants in and from the garden mainly in form of Indigo production, portfolio reflections, dye set up discussions and more. Not everyone can join us, but we work closely with local B&B's, campsites etc to ensure everyone is accommodated. Students joined us from Australia, Switzerland, UK, Belgium and many other countries. It is open to everyone, but not a must. We also try to have a couple of zoom events for our other students to join from further away.

🌱 A year that keeps giving back

One of the things I value most about this programme is that it doesn't end when the final module finishes.

The knowledge you've built, the samples you've produced and the portfolio you've documented become resources you'll continue to use for years.

Natural dyeing is a lifelong learning process.

My aim is to give you a solid foundation—one that allows you to keep asking questions, keep experimenting and keep developing your own practice with confidence.

4 day in person course 2025

🍃 Join the 2027 Programme

Bookings for the One-Year Professional Natural Dyeing Programme 2027 are now open.

✔ Study online from anywhere in the world

✔ Pay in full or choose our monthly payment plan

✔ Build a substantial professional portfolio throughout the year

🇮🇪 Irish students: Applications for 40% NOTS funding are expected to open again in September 2026. If you're planning to apply, it's worth keeping an eye on the funding announcements.

Whether you're working towards a professional studio, expanding your textile practice or simply investing in a deeper understanding of natural dyeing, we'd love to welcome you!

👉 Explore the full programme and reserve your place today.

or get in touch! hello@appleoakfibreworks.com

🌿 Why I Teach This Programme

I’ve been working with natural dyes for almost twenty years. Like many of my students, I began as a hobby dyer, fascinated by the colours that could be created from plants. That interest gradually developed into yarn dyeing and selling and lots of learning, followed by larger-scale production (and more learning), where we naturally dyed around 2.5 tonnes of yarn each year for other companies. Over time, I scaled that work back to focus on dyeing for designers and smaller companies, as well as producing naturally dyed textiles for our own business. Today, my work centres increasingly on teaching, studio tours and workshops, alongside ongoing research into dye plants, their production and their applications, as well as small productions. This programme brings together the knowledge gained across all of those stages — from small-scale experimentation to commercial production and professional studio practice.

Naturally dyed yarns in the dry room

Naturally dyed yarn ranges