Intro to Cotton

Name: Intro to Cotton
SKU: 2653
Availability: InStock

$60.00 – $200.00

SKU: N/A Category: Ecourses

This module of Living Colour introduces you to eco-printing on cotton and other plant-based fibres. It’s suitable for complete beginners, or for anyone who struggles to get good results on cotton. You’ll be carefully guided through each step of the process through videos, written notes and photos.

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

This course is offered with variable pricing levels – read more under the ‘Variable Pricing’ tab, then choose a price with your heart.

Please note that all prices are in Australian Dollars. If you live outside Australia, head here to convert them into your currency before you decide which level to go with.

Curriculum

Welcome
Eco-printing supplies
Making mordants
Choosing and gathering leaves
Preparing leaves
Choosing plant-based fabric and clothing
Scouring plant-based fabric and clothing
Mordanting cotton with iron
Doing test prints
Basic rolling and bundling technique: tank top
Cooking eco-print bundles
Rolling a piece of fabric
Rolling garments with sleeves
Combining alum and iron mordants
Aftercare: washing, drying and wearing
Eco-printing over failed or faded prints
A final blessing

I am experimenting with offering variable pricing for all of my courses. Choose what you are able to pay, based on your circumstances and the value of the course to you.

The lowest levels are concession prices for people who need extra support and can’t afford full price. If you can, I encourage you to pay the full price ‘Tree’ level or higher. This allows me to earn a fair income from my work, and also to offer concession places. In turn, this keeps the ‘pay what you can’ pricing model sustainable. But if you can only afford the lowest levels, you are still very welcome.

If you can afford to pay the higher levels, you are supporting other people to access my courses through your generosity. You are also supporting me to continue creating free content as well as new ebooks and ecourses.

The world is changing, and perhaps we need to let go of the idea that people with lots of money deserve more, and people with less money deserve less. No matter what level you can afford, you will get access to all the same course materials. There is enough for everyone, and I trust that you can support or be supported, as you need.

When you decide on a price level that feels fair based on your circumstances and what I am offering, you’ll know. It will feel right in your heart.

Please note that all prices are in Australian Dollars. If you live outside Australia, head here to convert them into your currency before you decide which level to go with.

Purchasing FAQs

What 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.

Which price level should I pay?

I offer variable pricing on all of my ecourses, to make them more accessible. If you can, I encourage you to pay the full price ‘Tree’ level or higher. This allows me to earn a fair income from my work, and also to offer concession places. In turn, this keeps the ‘pay what you can’ pricing model sustainable. But if you can only afford the lowest levels, you are still very welcome.

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 right 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. Please note that this only applies for orders made after mid August 2020.

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. And of course, 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 contact me and I will reply as soon as possible.