NATURAL DYEING: FORAGING FOR LOCAL COLOR
WITH CHRIS BENTLEY AND MADELAINE CORBIN
Saturday, September 5th, 2026
10:00am - 4:00pm
Explore seasonal color sources growing here in the Willamette Valley! We will forage for plants and dye materials in the morning and discuss best practices for foraging and how to use the dyestuffs we find. After lunch, participants will learn to make multiple immersion dyes. Together we’ll create four dye baths for textiles and modify our colors to create 32 color sample swatches to take home representing place, season, and more.
If you are interested in the art and science of local natural dyes, this class is for you! Participants will leave with swatches documenting their results and one functional project item made from felted wool.
This class is supported in collaboration with Sustainable Northwest, a regional non-profit that brings people, ideas, and innovation together so that nature, local economies, and rural communities can thrive. In 2026, Tarweed Folk School and SNW are facilitating classes that get students into natural landscapes to experience models of sustainable land stewardship, learn to harvest materials responsibly, and bring harvested material back to the classroom to make something useful.
Class Details
Age Requirement: this class is for adults 18+.
Location: Greenbelt Land Trust's Bald Hill Farm
Students bring: gloves, an apron, clean scissors/plant snips, a collection basket or bag, paper and a pencil for note-taking, a water bottle, and your lunch. We’ll have time midday to eat while the dyes are simmering. Dress for the weather! We’ll be outside in the elements. Remember to wear clothes you are comfortable moving around in that can get messy!
Tuition: $80
Materials fee: $30
Please email info@tarweedfolkschool.com to join the waitlist for a sold out class.
Accessibility note: we will be on our feet most of the class and on uneven ground while foraging for 1.5 hours. Accommodations may be made on request.
Need a scholarship to attend a class? We offer full and half tuition awards (scholarships do not apply to class materials fee). Email info@tarweedfolkschool.com to register.
Tarweed Folk School values increasing access to practical arts and place-based skills. Our goal is to make our classes accessible to anyone with an interest in learning. Please consider that our classrooms take place inside and outdoors with varying amenities (think of parking, seating, walking surfaces, and bathroom options, for example). We are happy to provide any information or answer any questions about accessibility or accommodations for any of our classes and locations. Please email us if you have comments, concerns, or questions.
