Sew and Dye

Rated 5.00 out of 5 based on 1 customer rating

$99.00

Let’s sew and dye a clothing collection!

Have you ever dreamed of taking a piece of white fabric and turning it into a colourful piece of wearable art??

In this course, the focus is on simplicity – working with simple shapes to design and make clothing without patterns or a measuring tape. And then adding colour and leaf prints by naturally dyeing and eco-printing over them.

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How is the course structured?

This is an 8 week course. We alternate between sewing and dyeing/eco-printing. So in Week 1 you will sew a top, and in Week 2 you will dye it. This continues for the whole course and for the whole collection of clothing. There are 4 separate garments: a top, a dress, a draped vest and a light jacket. But by playing around with different lengths and/or widths of fabric, you can create items in different styles, with more or less draping. I demonstrate two variations each sewing week, to create 8 items of clothing that can be worn together or separately. Then each dyeing week I’ll show you how to dye the clothing in harmonious and complementary ways, using a range of dyeing and eco-printing methods.

You will have ongoing access to all the lessons and videos for many years. So if you want to come back to it later, no worries!

Who is this course suitable for?

This course is designed for beginners, or those who have only a little bit of experience with either sewing or natural dyeing and who’d like a little encouragement along the way.

Please note that the focus is on simplicity. We won’t be creating complicated garments, and this is not a course for anyone who wants to learn how to make their own patterns or get in-depth sewing instruction.

Basic sewing knowledge is a prerequisite, but you can choose to hand sew and/or use a sewing machine.

Is the price in US or Australian dollars?

All prices are in Australian Dollars. If you live outside Australia, head here to convert them into your currency.

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Curriculum

Week 1: Sewing triangle tops

Week 2: Dyeing triangle tops

Week 3: Sewing triangle dresses

Week 4: Dyeing triangle dresses

Week 5: Sewing vests

Week 6: Dyeing vests

Week 7: Sewing jackets

Week 8: Dyeing jackets

1 review for Sew and Dye

Rated 5 out of 5
JoAnn Millen – March 18, 2024
I appreciate the wonderful collection of expert dye techniques offered by gumnutmagic. Professionalism, sharing, respect for our planet, and kindness are all apparent in her course work.

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Purchasing FAQs

Which payment types are accepted?

Purchases can be made with most major credit or debit cards using either Paypal or Stripe. Visa, Mastercard, American Express and the Discover Network are supported by both Paypal and Stripe. China UnionPay and JCB are only supported by Stripe. If you are unable to use Paypal or Stripe in your country, please contact me to discuss alternative payment methods.

Should I start with an ebook or ecourse?

There are beginner options for both ebooks and ecourses, while my ecourses also offer some advanced options. Some of the information crosses over both, but there is also unique information in both. So it really comes down to your personal preference. Perhaps you prefer learning through videos or through reading. Or perhaps you will enjoy supplementing the learning from one with the other.

How do I access the course after registering and paying?

At the top of the page, click ‘Log in’ and then ‘My courses’. Click on the course you want to begin, then choose any lesson to get started. To track your progress through each course, click the ‘complete’ button at the bottom of each lesson as you go.

How do I download my ebook purchase?

After purchasing, you can download the ebook from my website straight away. You will also be emailed a download link. If you have trouble downloading on a phone, please try again on a tablet or desktop computer.

You can also find your ebook purchases in your profile dashboard after you log in – click the ‘ebook’ tab. If you ever lose your pdf, come here to re-download it.

Ecourses FAQs

What does each ecourse include?

The main processes or techniques are taught through video lessons. There are also written notes and photographs to supplement your learning. You can ask questions on each lesson and there is also email support if you need it.

Do you only use eucalyptus leaves?

It’s not secret that eucalyptus leaves are my favourite. But all of my ecourses also cover a range of other leaves from around the world, including maple, rose and blackberry. In the Intro to Cotton module, I also guide you in how to choose and test additional plants that might have eco-printing potential.

I’ve already read your Gum Leaf Alchemy ebook or done a workshop with you. Will I still find your ecourses useful?

The content of the Intro to Cotton Living Colour module overlaps with this ebook and my workshops, although there is some new content too. All the other modules cover new techniques that I haven’t shared elsewhere. For example – different mordants and binders, dye blankets and iron blankets, additional ways to fold bundles, and methods of combining eco-printing and shibori techniques on both wool and cotton.

The Iso Dye Club has some overlap with my Plant Poetry ebook, but there is plenty of new content in there too.

Do I have to complete the ecourse within a set timeframe?

No, you will have continual access to the course material for as long as each ecourse exists, so you can work through it at your own pace.

Ebooks FAQs

Which ebook should I start with?

If you want to learn how to eco-print on cotton, Gum Leaf Alchemy is definitely the one to start with. Although it focuses on eucalyptus leaves, it also gives step by step instructions for the entire process. The Leaf Guide has been written as a follow up guide which delves into each of the 25 leaves, but assumes this prior knowledge of the process.

Leaf and Colour is perfect if you want to combine eco-printing and natural dyeing techniques, or to use soy milk binder. And if you are looking to work with paper rather than fabric, check out Plant Poetry.

Do I need special software to read the ebooks?

The ebooks are all saved as PDFs, so any software that uses that file type will work. I use Adobe Acrobat.

Can I print the ebooks out?

Of course! You can print them out from your home computer. Some people also like to get them printed and bound.

Are they available in any other languages?

Besides the Spanish version of Gum Leaf Alchemy, I don’t have any other translations available yet, sorry! If you would like to use Google Translate, after purchase I can send you a special text document for this purpose.

I don’t live in Australia. Will The Leaf Guide cover plants that grow near me?

Most of the plants covered are not Australian natives and I have intentionally chosen plants from different regions of the world. That said, there is a focus on those that grow in temperate climates.

Can I use the same method for eco-printing on wool or silk?

Most of the method covered in Gum Leaf Alchemy also works on wool or silk. The main difference is that cotton needs mordanting while animal fibres don’t. You can still use a mordant on animal fibres if you want darker colours but go easy as too much iron mordant can damage them. Silk and wool also need longer cooking times than cotton, of about 2 hours. Finally, fresh leaves are often better for wool and silk, whereas I often soak my leaves when dyeing on cotton. If you are interested in eco-printing on wool, check out my ‘Wool and Shibori’ ecourse.

Got any questions not covered here? Please email me via louise@gumnutmagic.com

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