Smoky Mountain News

A one-day natural dye workshop with instructor Cassie Dickson will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 2, at the Jackson County Green Energy Park in Dillsboro.

Students will learn the processes for using native plant and natural materials to dye wool yarns in the colors of red, yellow, and blue. Once those colors have been achieved, over-dyeing may be done to create secondary colors like teals, greens, oranges and purples.

The Green Energy Park will use renewable energy — methane from the old Dillsboro landfill — to heat the water for the dye pots. At the end of the day you will leave with six beautifully dyed skeins of yarn and the skills needed to dye at home.

Instructor Dickson is a traditional pattern weaver who specializes in the weaving of coverlets and has been spinning, natural dyeing and weaving for over 30 years. She also raises silk worms for silk and processes flax into linen cloth.  

$50. 828.631.0271.