Presented by: Janet Ducote

Janet will discuss what a natural dye is, how to run a dyepot of yarn using natural dye extracts, creating more colors from a single dyestuff, interesting or usual colors and dyestuffs, and diving deeper with colors - value and hue gradations.  She’ll have some naturally dyed yarns and textiles, samples of some dyestuffs, and a document that covers tips for natural dyeing, troubleshooting, safety and stewardship, and care for your naturally dyed fibers.  She wants everyone to be aware of what is possible, and what to aim for to get you there.

* Janet's presentation will be recorded and will be available for viewing for two weeks on the JHW website, but the meeting will not be a hybrid meeting, so it will not be broadcast simultaneously on Zoom.

Janet’s journey into natural dyes started in the late 1990s, when she decided to explore textiles more seriously.  Since then, she studied natural dyeing on yarn under Michele Wipplinger, founder of Earthues.  Janet’s curiosity led her to also “play” in painted warp and cloth, katazome, wax batik and shibori.  Her growing interest and love of color took her further; she counts herself lucky to have attended Michele’s Color Institute East group, where she studied color theory, as applied to yarn and weaving.  Beyond dyeing and color, Janet studied Composition and Theory for Abstract Painters under Laury Egan, tapestry weaving with Archie Brennan and Susan Martin Maffei (in their On-Going Tapestry Tutorial sessions), and garment design & construction with various teachers.  At her previous guild she created and coordinated the Design Study Group, as well as led many of the exercises.  She holds a BS in biology and worked as a biochemist early on.