Getting ready for your
Eco-Printing on Silk Workshop
Eco-Printing on Silk Workshop
WORKSHOP DATES
Saturday 6 December
TIME – 9:45am for a 10am start
Finishing around 4pm
LOCATION
This workshop is held my own private studio at:
10 Nadi Lane, North Maleny
5 minutes drive from the Maleny township. Scroll down the page to see the Google map.
PARKING
CARPORT – Fits 2 cars.
SIDE PARKING AREA – Fits 3–4 cars; the first car should park snugly at the front to allow room for others.
OVERFLOW – If everything is full, you can park in the driveway, and we’ll shuffle cars if needed. Street parking is also available on the grass verge.
ON ARRIVAL
Head through the carport and into the studio. I’ll be inside, getting everything ready for our morning.
Please take a moment to read through the information on this page. It contains important information about your upcoming workshop.
GET READY …
Get ready for some beautiful botanical magic on silk!
In this workshop, you’ll create 3 eco‑printed silk scarves, perfect for keeping, gifting, or both. Silk is one of the easiest and most rewarding fibres to print on, and we’ll take a simple, no‑fuss approach that you can easily replicate at home.
You’ll leave with:
- Your own unique collection of botanically printed scarves
- Step‑by‑step instructions
- A list of suppliers for scarves, dyes, mordants and basic equipment
- Tips to help you continue exploring eco‑printing on silk in your own space
This day is all about accessible, hands‑on making – no previous experience needed.
SAFETY
Our eco-printing process is safe and low-toxic, with all cooking done outdoors in the fresh air.
We’ll discuss basic health and safety practices around the use of mordants and dye materials. Gloves will be provided when working with mordant dips, salts, and dye blankets to help protect your skin and keep your hands stain-free.
Please wear closed-toe, comfortable shoes and clothing you don’t mind getting messy. If you have a studio apron, please bring it along; if not, I have a few spares available.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
Everything you need for this workshop is covered in your workshop fee.
You’ll receive three (3) habotai silk scarves to eco-print using a variety of plant materials, dye blankets and modifier dips. Don’t worry if you’re a little rusty on the process, I’ll walk you through each step on the day.
Scarf size options, subject to stock availability:
- 40 × 156 cm – 8mm habotai silk
- 28 × 180 cm – 8mm or 10mm habotai silk
You’ll head home with your 3 finished scarves plus detailed handouts covering process instructions, supplier recommendations, and ideas to keep eco-printing from home.
WHAT TO BRING
Please bring your lunch, a pen and a journal or notebook for taking notes during the workshop (you will be leaving with handouts).
Please also bring a sense of curiosity and patience. The natural chemistry of the process is quite magical and unpredictable. Sometimes the outcome you hope for will result in something very unexpected, and other times the unexpected yields the most exciting results.
Please bring something to take your wet silks home in – Your silks will probably dry before you leave, but in case they dont, an old towel will be perfect. Please don’t use a good towel – dye and salts may stain the towel as the papers dry.
Plant materials* – I will have a range of locally collected plant material (seasons permitting) on hand for us all to work with:
– eucalyptus leaves
– bracken
– tibochina
– silky oak
– maple and liquid amber
Below are other leaves that I have had results with in the past*, but I may not be able to access for our workshop. If it is easy for you to bring some along on the day, that would be great:
– casurina
– maple and liquid amber
– coleus
– rose leaves
– grevillea
– bleeding heart leaves
– smokebush aka smoketree aka cotinus
– grape leaves
– citrus leaves
– kaffir lime leaves
And other leaves that students have had results from that could be good to bring , if you have easy access to them:
– mulberry
– passionfruit
– ginko
– croton
– old man’s beard aka Grandfathers beard aka Spanish moss
– rosemary
– fiddle fig
– geranium
– carob
– sweet potato
– Japanese maple
*Please note that there are no guarantees as to how any one plant will print in this process. There are many variables that work to influence the printed result, and we will discuss this early on our workshop day.
BUYING SCARF BLANKS
Along with your printed scarves, you’ll receive a handout listing the materials and suppliers I use, so you can source your own silk blanks, natural dyes and mordants to continue eco-printing at home.
I aim to have additional scarf blanks available for purchase on the day, but stock can be tricky to source, so availability isn’t guaranteed. If you’re interested, feel free to ask on the day and I’ll let you know what’s on hand.
LUNCH & SNACKS
Morning and afternoon tea: A light morning and afternoon tea (gluten-free) is provided during this workshop. As is tea and coffee throughout the day.
Lunch: Please bring your own. You can also pop into town to grab something, though parking can be difficult on weekends. There’s a fridge, microwave, and cutlery in the studio if you need them.
A peek at eco-printed silk scarves from recent workshops
The photos above are from eco-printing workshops. I have more eco-printing workshop photos here, where you can see a little about the process and output by students.
