Where is Aya Fiber Studio located?

Aya Fiber Studio is located at 170 NE Dixie Hwy, Stuart, Florida 34994, near the beautiful Treasure Coast.

What should I bring to a workshop?

We provide all dyeing equipment, tables, and basic fabrics. You are welcome to bring your own natural fibers, stitching materials, and any personal tools you prefer.

Do you offer beginner-friendly classes?

Yes! Many workshops are designed for all levels. Our small class sizes ensure personal attention whether you’re a beginner or an experienced fiber artist.

How can I register for a workshop?

All registrations are handled through our secure portal at https://ayafiberstudio.corsizio.com. Simply choose your class, fill out the form, and confirm payment online.

Lisa Binkley Gold Leaf Variations

Gold Leaf Variations with Lisa Binkley- Student Supply List

3-Day Botanical Printing Workshop

Workshop Description:

Students prepare by selecting a favorite plant on which to focus their printing for the week. It could be

one of the amazing local printers such as grevillea or Brazilian peppertree, perennial printing favorites

from a flower shop such as eucalyptus, or leaves brought from home such as oak, maple, walnut, pecan,

or sumac. Then we take a deep dive into mordants and the power they have to bring out colors and details

in botanical prints. Employing at least 10 different combinations of mordants, tannins, and some iron on

natural fabrics, each student prints lots of samples of their one selected plant species to see the incredible

range of what can be achieved with these assists. At the end of the week, we bind these into a fabric book

of beautiful samples.

Kit Contents + Supplies Provided:

• 10+ pre-cut pieces of cotton, linen, silk, and wool for printing samples

• Acid-free paper to document mordants, tannins, and techniques used and then attach to the back of

each sample

• Stitching supplies for binding our books

• A booklet with information about each of the approaches we’ll use in the workshop

• All mordants and tannins used for the workshop

Examples of Mordant Approaches:

1. Tannin soak + iron blanket

2. Tannin soak + AA mordant (on cellulose) + iron blanket

3. AA mordant (on cellulose) + iron blanket

4. PAS + lt. iron mordant + water blanket on cellulose

5. PAS + med. iron mordant + water blanket on silk

6. Wool dipped in tannin + lt. iron blanket

7. PAS on wool + lt. iron blanket

8. PAS on wool + tannin blanket

9. Aluminum triformate on cellulose

10. Titanium oxalate on cellulose

Student Supply List:

* Up to 2 yards total of undyed fabric to be dyed and/or printed. It can be protein fibers: wool, silk; and

plant fibers: cotton, linen, rayon/viscose, hemp; a blend of natural fibers (no synthetics), or some of each.

I recommend at least some protein fibers as well as plant/cellulose fibers. If you're using wool, lighter-

weight wool such as gabardine, challis, or suiting fabric is ideal; wool flannel is also a nice option but is a

heavier fabric. Fabrics will need to be fully cleaned/scoured ahead of time. Instructions for doing this are

attached.

* Up to 2 yards of plain, undyed natural fabrics to be used as “blankets” (cotton flannel, French terry

cloth, and vintage linens are my favorites). You should have 1-2x as many yards of “blanket” fabric as

you have fabric for printing.

* Fabric scissors

* 1-3+ pairs of fitted vinyl or rubber gloves

* Clothes that can get messy, as well as closed-toed shoes are recommended

* Several fitted masks (we’ll definitely wear these when handling powders)

* A pen or pencil and note pad for taking notes

Scouring Fabric:

Preparing Fabric for Eco-Printing & Dyeing

It is very important to have scoured (thoroughly clean) fabrics on which to print and dye. Even fabrics

that look clean can have residues on them that will block the absorption of pigment, so I recommend

using the following techniques to prepare natural fabrics for botanical dyeing and printing. (These are

pretty much the instructions found in Jenny Dean’s book “Wild Color,” which is one of my favorite

reference books for botanical dyeing.)

Scouring Plant Fibers (cotton, linen, hemp, rayon, bamboo)

Stove-Top Method: Fill a large (multi-gallon) pot with water + (1-2 t. washing soda/soda ash) + (1-2 t. of

cleaning solution like Dawn dish-washing liquid) / gallon of water.

Stir the water, washing soda, and cleaning liquid to mix and then add your plant-based fabric. Heat the

water to a simmer, and then simmer the fabric at least 2 hrs. Drain off the liquid and gently rinse the

fabrics. If the water is very dirty, repeat the process. Air or machine dry them.

Washing Machine Method: If you do not have a pot large enough to undertake this process, I have

scoured plant-based fabrics in my washing machine with success. I use the "sanitary" or hottest cycle

setting and add the washing soda and Dawn/cleaning liquid directly to the machine. That cycle on my

machine runs about 1.5-2 hrs.

Scouring Protein Fibers (silk, wool)

These need to be cleaned more gently than plant fibers.

Wash protein fibers in warm water and ph-neutral cleaning liquid or Dawn dish-washing liquid. This can

be done on the stove-top at a simmer or in the washing machine on a gentle cycle. If done on the stove

top, put the fabric in room-temperature water and bring the water and fabrics to a gentle simmer. Keep the

water and fabric warm, and stir them gently for about an hour. Rinse gently several times. Air dry.