Lliwio Gwen a Threftadaeth Cymru // Woad Dyeing - Welsh Heritage

Description

Come and enjoy an exciting and fulfilling day dedicated to dyeing natural blue and green colours with the magical woad plant (isatis tinctoria). Siân will share her knowledge and skills in a one-day introduction to this ancient native European blue colour. The day will be interwoven with associated references to the historical, cultural, and medicinal links the plant holds. We will be using organic British grown woad pigment and working together in small groups, giving space and time to learn step-by-step dyeing methods and gain in-depth experience and insight into this slow, magical process. What you will learn: • Practical, hands-on skills and knowledge to prepare cloth/yarn and successfully make up dye baths to dye varying shades of blue. • Some simple but effective Shibori techniques (a Japanese fold, clamp, tie, and resist method) to make patterns on cloth. • To explore the process of over-dyeing to achieve greens and extend the colour palette. • Insights into historical and cultural contexts of woad dyeing and wool production. • Insights into contemporary, ethical, and sustainable application to craft and art practices. • Practical and accessible knowledge in the form of recipes for dyeing methods to enable you to continue experimenting afterwards. Siân will assist you with making a record of all the dyeing for your future reference, plus some cloth and yarn to take away to use for your making. No experience necessary, also open to those who already have some textile or dyeing experience and would like to explore further. Who you will learn from: Siân Lester is an artist with a long-established career in textiles, specialising in sustainable approaches associated with her season-based dyeing, art, and research. She integrates and shares these processes within her visual and socially engaged arts practice. Siân has focused on experimenting extensively over the years with plant dyes and local wool sources; attended and presented at many international art/craft/natural dye conferences, learning from master dyers, consistently evolving her thinking and making. Her practice and teaching moves away from commercial, chemical-based textile processes to a slower, kinder, and more ethical approach, rooted within the rhythms and cycles of the environment. Siân’s methods encourage multi-sensory bonds with plants and colour, supporting biophilic and conscious connections to place, land, and local ecologies, with a deep interest in exploring dyes with cultural and historical links and provenance to Wales and Britain. Children over 10yrs welcome accompanied by an adult. // Dewch i fwynhau diwrnod cyffrous a boddhaus sy'n ymroddedig i llifo glas a gwyrdd naturiol gyda'r planhigyn hudolys glaslys (isatis tinctoria). Bydd Siân yn rhannu ei gwybodaeth a'i sgiliau mewn cyflwyniad undydd i'r lliw glas Ewropeaidd brodorol hynafol hwn. Bydd y diwrnod yn cael ei blethu â chyfeiriadau cysylltiedig hanesyddol, diwylliannol a meddyginiaethol sydd gan y planhigyn. Byddwn yn defnyddio pigment glaslys organig a dyfir ym Mhrydain ac yn cydweithio mewn grwpiau bach, gan roi lle ac amser i ddysgu dulliau lliwio cam wrth gam ac ennill profiad a mewnwelediad manwl i'r broses araf, hudolus hon. Yr hyn y byddwch chi'n ei ddysgu: • Sgiliau a gwybodaeth ymarferol i baratoi brethyn/edaf a chreu baddonau llifo yn llwyddiannus i liwio gwahanol arlliwiau o las. • Rhai technegau shibori syml ond effeithiol (dull plygu, clampio, clymu a gwrthsefyll Japaneaidd) i wneud patrymau ar frethyn. • Archwilio'r broses o or-liwio i gyflawni gwyrddion ac ymestyn y palet lliwiau. • Mewnwelediad i gyd-destunau hanesyddol a diwylliannol lliwio gwlân a chynhyrchu gwlân. • Mewnwelediad i gymhwysiad cyfoes, moesegol a chynaliadwy i arferion crefft a chelf. • Gwybodaeth ymarferol a hygyrch ar ffurf ryseitiau ar gyfer dulliau lliwio i'ch galluogi i barhau i arbrofi wedyn. Bydd Siân yn eich cynorthwyo i wneud cofnod o'r holl lifo ar gyfer eich cyfeiriad yn y dyfodol, ynghyd â rhywfaint o frethyn ac edafedd i'w cymryd adref i'w defnyddio ar gyfer eich gwaith gwneud. Nid oes angen profiad, hefyd ar agor i'r rhai sydd eisoes â rhywfaint o brofiad tecstilau neu llifo ac a hoffai archwilio ymhellach. Gan bwy fyddan nhw'n dysgu: Mae Siân Lester yn artist sydd â gyrfa hirhoedlog mewn tecstilau, gan arbenigo mewn dulliau cynaliadwy sy'n gysylltiedig â'i llifo, celf ac ymchwil sy'n seiliedig ar y tymhorau. Mae hi'n integreiddio ac yn rhannu'r prosesau hyn o fewn ei hymarfer celfyddydau gweledol a chymdeithasol. Mae Siân wedi canolbwyntio ar arbrofi'n helaeth dros y blynyddoedd gyda llifynnau planhigion a ffynonellau gwlân lleol; wedi mynychu ac wedi cyflwyno mewn llawer o gynadleddau celf/crefft/lliw naturiol rhyngwladol. Yn dysgu gan meistri llifo, gan esblygu ei meddwl a'i gwneud yn gyson. Mae ei hymarfer a'i addysgu yn symud i ffwrdd o brosesau tecstilau masnachol, sy'n seiliedig ar gemegau, i ddull arafach, mwy caredig a mwy moesegol, wedi'i wreiddio o fewn rhythmau a chylchoedd yr amgylchedd. Mae dulliau Siân yn annog cysylltiadau aml-synhwyraidd â phlanhigion a lliw, gan gefnogi cysylltiadau bioffilig ac ymwybodol â lle, tir ac ecolegau lleol, gyda diddordeb dwfn mewn archwilio llifynnau â chysylltiadau diwylliannol a hanesyddol a tharddiad i Gymru a Phrydain. Croeso i blant dros 10 oed yng nghwmni oedolyn.

What's included in the price?

- Materials and recipes: all supplied. You will need to bring: Bags or plastic boxes to transport your samples home as they may still be wet. Apron or old clothes, rubber gloves and notebook if you’d like to make notes. Lunch and refreshments: Please bring along your own packed lunch. Teas/coffees and biscuits/cake will be supplied. Deunyddiau a ryseitiau: Cyflenwir y cyfan. Bydd angen i chi ddod â: Bagiau neu flychau plastig i gludo'ch samplau adref gan y gallent fod yn wlyb o hyd. Ffedog neu hen ddillad, menig rwber a llyfr nodiadau os hoffech wneud nodiadau. Cinio a lluniaeth: Dewch â'ch pecyn cinio eich hun. Bydd te/coffi a bisgedi/cacen yn cael eu cyflenwi.

Cancellation policy

Easy - Cancellation and a full refund can be obtained up to 2 weeks before the course starts

Maker

Emma at Cwm Arian

with Craft Courses since 2025

Message the tutor

Cwm Arian Renewable Energy, a Community Benefit Society based in West Wales, works to inspire and support local communities to create a sustainable, resilaint change. With a strong commitment to renewable energy and grassroots action, CARE is dedicated to fostering positive environmental and social change. Amongst our projects is a community wind turbine, community garden, research into sustainable land based practices and sustainable art & craft centre, based in Hermon.