Fashion Forward Forest School!!

This week at Forest School, we got creative with colour and made our own tie-dye t-shirts using natural dyes! Forget synthetic chemicals — we turned to nature's palette, experimenting with onion skins, avocado stones, and madder root.

We talked about the types of materials that will (protein and cellulose) and will not (synthetic) take the dyes. We discussed the stages needed in the process: scouring, mordanting, dyeing, rinsing and after-care. We also discussed some weird and wonderful facts about natural dyes and it's colourful history (if you'll excuse the pun)!

Each dye gave us beautiful, earthy tones: onion skins produced a warm golden-yellow, avocados surprised us with soft dusty pinks, and madder root created rich, rusty reds. The process was simple but magical. They folded, squished, rolled, curled and squeezed bundle-dyeing fabric using rubber bands and loom bands and even some marbles before using the antlers to place them in the simmering plant-based dye baths.

Before lunch, we discussed the history of natural dyeing including its part in the history of the Weald with specific stories realting to Goudhurst and Cranbrook. There was also a visit from a very special friend to Beech & Oak Group - our very own Wren!

The children loved watching the colours transform their cotton. Finally when they came out of the pots they were eager to remove all the bands and remove their designs and were amazed with the results. We created a colourful washing line in the woods until it was time to go home with their one-of-a-kind creations!

Nature really is the best art teacher.