Join us for an evening of botanical dyeing that brings together mindful making, material exploration, and the quiet transformation of cloth. In this immersive workshop, participants will create a naturally dyed silk bandana using seasonal plant materials, guided through a process that emphasizes both intention and experimentation.
We will begin by grounding ourselves in the space, taking a moment to arrive, breathe, and acknowledge the act of carving out time for creative practice. Participants will be invited to select a card as a gentle prompt, offering a thread of reflection to carry through the making process. As introductions unfold, we will begin by marking our silk with stitched initials or a short word, embedding personal narrative into the cloth.
From there, we will move into the alchemy of botanical printing. Using flowers and plant matter, participants will compose directly onto fabric, learning how to bundle, roll, and bind materials in preparation for the dye bath. Two dye pots will be available, one modified with iron to produce deeper, moodier tones, and one yielding brighter, more natural color, offering a range of outcomes and encouraging experimentation.
As the bundles simmer and release their pigments, we will gather around the shared process, culminating in the unveiling of each piece: unwrapped, rinsed, and revealed in its unique imprint of time, temperature, and touch.
Participants will leave with a finished (or nearly finished) dyed silk bandana, along with the knowledge to continue exploring botanical dyeing at home. This workshop centers process over perfection, inviting slowness, curiosity, and connection through cloth.
Dates
Tuesday, June 30th, 2026
Time
5 pm – 9 pm ET
Location
Tatter Textile Library
505 Carroll Street, 2B
Brooklyn, NY 11215
Materials
All materials will be provided.
Cost
$200
Our Teacher
Christina Hattler is an interdisciplinary artist whose studio practice (est. in 2023) centers overlooked materials and experimental craft. Traditional methods such as natural dyeing, meticulous hand-pleating, embroidery, and weaving anchor her research-driven approach. Drawing on feminist perspectives, ritual, and myth. Her sculptural works explore motherhood, transformation, memory, and the connections between humans and the natural and supernatural, inviting viewers to question the familiar and imagine other possibilities.
Since relocating from New York to Mexico in 2006, Hattler has worked closely with renowned artisans in what she calls a “living residency,” positioning textiles as sites of inquiry, cultural continuity, and material research. Mexico and Miami, places where vibrant cultural lineages intertwine with mysticism and spirituality, continue to shape her practice.
Hattler is the founder of Mexchic (est. 2006), a craft-focused brand creating handmade wearable textile art and objects collected internationally. Trained in fashion design at Pratt Institute, she teaches workshops on creativity and natural dyeing.
Her work with Mexchic has been exhibited internationally, including at the Museum of Contemporary Art Monterrey, CONARTE (2023), and MUAC, UNAM, Mexico City (2022). Christina Hattler currently lives and works in Oaxaca, Mexico.